CoE official hails Turkey's growing role

Turkey has made significant contributions to the Council of Europe and is now playing an increasingly crucial role on the international stage, according to the body's secretary-general. "Turkey is playing a bigger and bigger role outside Europe. I appreciate very much the role Turkey has taken in the Middle East and the Caucasus," Thorbjorn Jagland said yesterday at Ankara's Bilkent University. "The enlargement of the EU could not be possible without the standards set by the Council of Europe," he added. "You cannot be a member of the EU if you don't comply with European conventions." Jagland also confirmed his support for Turkey's European Union accession. "I'm always in favor. I hope it will take place," he said. "Adopting EU standards isn't a concession. You are part of Europe and are responsible for complying with them."