The European Union's (EU) foreign ministers on Monday outlined new priorities for Turkey to gain its accession to the 27-member regional bloc.
The ministers, meeting in Brussels, adopted a revised set of principles, priorities and conditions in the Accession Partnership with Turkey, which constitutes the framework for Turkey's preparations and provides guidance for financial assistance.
Short-term priorities relate to issues including democracy and the rule of law; human rights, civil and political rights, economic and social rights, minority rights, cultural rights, and the protection of minorities; regional issues and international obligations; and economic criteria.
Medium-term priorities relate to economic criteria and the ability to assume the obligations of EU membership.
"The revised Accession Partnership will serve as a basis for future political reforms and as a yardstick against which to measure future progress," said the ministers in a statement.
The main priorities for Turkey relate in particular to its capacity to meet the political criteria set for EU accession by the EU summit at Copenhagen in 1993 and the requirements of the negotiating framework adopted by the EU summit in October 2005, according to the statement.
The new priorities, which concern both legislation and the implementation thereof, have been identified on the basis that it is realistic to expect that Turkey can complete or take them substantially forward over the next few years, said the ministers.
Meanwhile, the ministers urged the applicant country to develop a plan with a timetable and specific measures addressing the new priorities.
The short-term priorities are expected to be accomplished "within one to two years," and the medium-term ones "within three to four years."
The implementation of the Accession Partnership, key for advancing the negotiating process, will be examined using the mechanisms established under the Association Agreement as appropriate and through the European Commission's progress reports.
Source: Xinhua
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