Olli Rehn Calls on Turkey to Establish Neighbor Relations with Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - During the discussions of the report on Turkey EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn made the following statement: "Freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental human right on which any open society is based, and a foundation for modernization, social progress and solving conflicts between various social groups.



An open and constructive exchange of views is needed in Turkey, including the most sensitive issues. This is necessary both for the democratic process in Turkey and for facing tomorrow's challenges, as well as for Turkey's reconciliation with its neighbors, including Armenia. Reconciliation is a principle that is both the origin and the outcome of the European integration project. I therefore urge Turkey to continue to take concrete steps in this direction.



Freedom of religion is another area where tangible progress is needed. The Law on Foundations, which is currently debated in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, should address the shortcomings. Restrictions applied to non-Muslim religious groups on property rights, management of foundations and training of the clergy must be lifted," reports abhaber.com.