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Turkey will stand on a very important fork in the road if her candidacy is accepted in the Helsinki Summit. Since Turkey had not been given a membership status at the Luxemburg Summit in 1997, she had ceased political dialog. However if her membership is accepted in Helsinki, Turkey will lose her rights to say ' You can not criticise me' on many issues like the human rights. The following are a comparison of EU's demands and the steps Turkey has taken until now: DemocratizationThe soldiers' role on civil life through National Security Council needs to be ended. The State Security Courts that are against the European Human Rights Aggreement need to be removed. Reforms that will make judicion more independant need to be held. * What has Turkey donne? The 143rd article of the Constitution has been altered removing the military members of the State Security Courts. Studies have been made to make the judicion more independant, however they have not been concluded. Human RightsEU demands that torture be ended. They demand the removal of the death penalty. EU also demands a non-military solution to the problems of the South East. * What has Turkey done? The act suggesting an increase in the sentences for torture has been accepted. Cyprus-GreeceEU demands that Turkey make efforts to find a permanent solution within the frame of UN decisions. EU demands that Turkey persuade Republic of Northern Cyprus(KKTC) to start negotiations. It is also demanded that problems with Greece be solved within the framework of international law rules. * What has Turkey done? Turkey has suggested the formation of a confederation as a permanent solution. She has declared that negotiations will not be started before KKTC's existance is recognized. Turkey has also started dialog with Greece. |