The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, convening in Barcelona, Catalonia on 19th and 20th November 2009:

Noting:

- The European Commission’s progress report on Turkey’s accession process to the EU on October 14,

- Subsequent expressions of hostility to Turkey’s full membership of the EU by some conservative politicians in current member states

Wishes to:

- Note that, according to that report, Turkey has made some progress towards meeting the Copenhagen political criteria;

- Regret the limited progress made in the area of freedom of expression and freedom of the media, notably as it concerns attempts to silence important parts of the media trough imposition of unreasonable fines for alleged tax violations;

- Point out the crucial importance of a swift implementation of the judicial reform strategy for the functioning of the Turkish State and society;

- Welcome the efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue and encourage the Turkish Government to take concrete measures to address the situation of citizens of Kurdish origin;

- Reiterate its commitment to continue negotiations with a view to the eventual accession of Turkey to the European Union provided all Copenhagen criteria, including the criterion on the EU’s integration capacity, are fulfilled.

 - Regarding the issue of Cyprus, deplore the continued non-fulfillment of commitments stemming from the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement; call on the Turkish Government to contribute actively to the swift devising of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question; reiterate that a greater contribution on behalf of the EU is needed facilitating the reaching of an agreement between the two communities which reunifies Cyprus on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal, federal, united republic and a lasting settlement to the dispute which will also end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.