AHI Assesses Findings of European Commission’s “Turkey 2013 Progress Report”

Institute Agrees with Report’s Findings with regard to Turkey’s International Obligations, Human Rights

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) released its assessment of the European Commission’s 2013 report on progress made by Turkey in preparing for European Union membership.  The 80-page report covers on the period from October 2012 to September 2013.

“Overall, the American Hellenic Institute agrees with the findings in the 2013 Progress Report on Turkey,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said.  “AHI especially welcomes the Commission’s critical stance on Turkey with regard to Cyprus and the specificity with which the report addressed Turkey’s restrictions upon the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Turkey’s violations of the airspace and territorial waters, or exclusive economic zones, of Greece and Cyprus.”

The European Commission’s Progress Report presents Turkey’s progress in several issue areas, including: human rights and the protection of minorities, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, conscience and religion; transport policy, and regional issues and international obligations of which Cyprus and the peaceful settlement border disputes with Greece are included.

AHI’s assessment of the progress report largely welcomed the EC’s findings, but it did note one area where the report could have been more specific.  For example, with regard to the Cyprus v. Turkey [ECHR] cases AHI contends the EC’s report fails to even mention that Turkey was found to be and remains in violation of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights of the Council of Europe.

• Click here to view AHI’s assessment of the EC’s “Turkey 2013 Progress Report.”
• Click here to view the EC’s “Turkey 2013 Progress Report.”

The American Hellenic Institute is an independent non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

For additional information, please contact Georgea Polizos at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at https://www.ahiworld.org.