European Parliament releases Turkey draft report for 2013

The European Parliament (EP) released its annual draft report on Turkey, calling on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue. The draft report penned by Dutch Christian Democrat Ria Oomen-Ruijten criticizes the issues regarding media freedom, human rights together with Turkey's stance on Cyprus, while praising Turkey's regional role, stance on Syria and the work on the constitution. Titled "European Parliament resolution on the 2012 progress report on Turkey," the draft will ask "all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the constitutional process." The draft encourages political forces within the country to work together towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion. Condemning the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terror, the draft calls on EU countries to intensify cooperation with Turkey in its fight against terrorism and organized crime as a source of financing terrorism. On civilian-military relations, the draft calls on Turkish authorities to continue the process of civilian oversight on security forces and asks for the amendment of the Law on Provincial Administration to give civilian authorities more oversight of military operations and the gendarmerie's activities and the revision of the powers and the composition of the Supreme Military Council. On media freedom, about which the EP report has been critical for the last several years, the draft reminds that freedom of expression and media pluralism are "core European values" urging the abolishing of legislation providing high fines on the media and the urgent need to reform Internet law. Commending the work of the Committee for Constitution, the draft says the work should focus on the separation of powers and an adequate system of checks and balances; relations between the state, society and religion; an inclusive system of governance securing the basic rights of all citizens and inclusive concept of citizenship. Concerning Cyprus, the draft continues to keep the basic line of incorporating the demands of the Greek Cypriot side. It claims that Turkey missed an important opportunity to start a process of normalization of relations with the Greek Cypriot side during Nicosia's EU term presidency.