Stop meddling, Turkey tells the EU

[Khephra]

Turkey told the European Union yesterday to stop meddling in its domestic affairs as a row over a move to criminalise adultery threatened to provoke a crisis between Ankara and Brussels.

Weeks before the EU is due to report on whether Turkey meets the criteria for membership talks, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister, lashed out at criticism from Brussels after a criminal law reform package was frozen in parliament because of a bitter inter-party squabble over the legal status of adultery. Mr Erdogan said: "We are Turkey and the Turkish people will make their own decisions."

Drawing applause from leaders of his Justice and Development Party, he added: "Joining the European Union is not the be-all and end-all." The dispute erupted when Ankara announced plans to reinstate laws to punish unfaithful spouses with jail sentences of up to three years.

Under pressure from critics at home and abroad, governing party leaders shelved the proposal this week.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/09/18/wturk18.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/09/18/ixportal.html

[CarolynEC]

1. EU ought to tell Turkey: "Get lost"

:grr:

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Stop applying, the EU tells Turkey

Do they expect the benefits of membership without its obligations?