Reform more important than EU accession for Turkey

According to the Turkish daily Hürriyet, Turkish President Abdulla Gül has said that EU accession is less important than the democratisation of the country. The conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung voices approval: "Clear words, well spoken. One could conclude from the statements made in the past by many Turkish politicians and representatives that the target of reform merely serves the goal attaining EU membership. Thankfully Gül has now pointed out that the European values being sought should be pursued for their own sake and for the benefit of the country. Democracy, pluralism and human rights are valuable for everyone, independently of what community or alliance one belongs to. There are model democratic countries that don't belong to the EU, for example Norway. Gül's words should be taken to heart for Turkey's sake, not Brussels'."

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