The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament approved 51-5 the report on Turkey by Dutch Christian Democrat Ria Oomen-Ruijten.

The final vote in the plenary session is expected to take place on March 8, 2011.

The Committee approved an amendment to express EP concern regarding the Turkish state's unwillingness to find the real perpetrators of Hrant Dink's murder. Another amendment proposed by Dutch Socialist MEP Emine Bozkurt’s amendment regarded the headscarf will also be discussed on March 8, acording to Today’s Zaman.

Article 12 of the report underlines that investigations of cases of alleged coup plans such as Ergenekon have to prove the strength and the proper and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions; is concerned about the excessively long pre-trial detention periods and stresses the need for effective judicial guarantees for all suspects; is concerned about the artificial obstacles raised by the Turkish State administration preventing the unmasking of the real instigators of the murder of the Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

Article 32 urges both parties, Turkey and Armenia, to ratify without preconditions the protocols and to open border, and calls on Turkey to use its regional weight to enhance confidence building measures.