EU: "The headscarf is Turkey's own issue"

The headscarf issue is Turkey's own issue, to be discussed by the Turkish people, and does not concern the European Union, said a European Commission spokesperson yesterday. Asked about Foreign Minister Ali Babacan's remark that the headscarf controversy is harming Turkey's international image and that it needs progress in rights and freedoms and political reforms to achieve EU membership, Krisztina Nagy, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn's spokesperson, said, "This is a multidimensional issue. There is no standard in EU law regarding headscarves. The Turkish people will discuss this issue. The EU hasn't asked to Turkey to make any change on this issue, and the EU has no position on it."