STRASBOURG, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. European Union lawmakers approved a highly critical report on Monday accusing Turkey of dragging its heels on reforms, marking the start of looming crisis between the EU and Ankara over its accession bid. The EU assembly's foreign affairs committee voted through a paper which slammed Turkey for not living up to the commitments it gave when it received the green light last October to start talks on joining the bloc. "The European parliament ... regrets the slowing down of the reform process," the report said, pointing to what it called "persistent shortcomings" in a range of areas. According to the Reuters, the lawmakers said Turkey had shown "insufficient progress" in the areas of freedom of expression, religious and minority rights, women's rights and law enforcement since EU leaders agreed to start accession talks 11 months ago. The report urged Ankara to recognise Cyprus and urged it to "take concrete steps for the normalisation of bilateral relations with the Republic as soon as possible". Experts fear the niggling dispute over Cyprus and mutual public disenchantment could lead at worst to a breakdown in accession talks with the strategic, Muslim candidate country. But the report stopped short of mentioning that scenario. "We are not saying that we are not still committed to the talks or that we do not want Turkey to join the EU," said Dutch conservative Camiel Eurlings, who scripted the report. The report's discussion at the full parliament sitting is scheduled for late September. Any country wishing to join the 25-member bloc requires the approval of both the European parliament and the agreement of all member states.

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