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Ethnic Minorities' Protection Agreement Threathens France, Turkey |
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Thursday, 17 February 2005The European Council has warned that France's refusal to sign the "Framework Agreement on Protection of Ethnic Minorities" and its failure to implement harmonization policies for the integration of immigrants in French society is the cause of racist behavior.
The European Council's Report on Racism and Discrimination, which was published the other day, drew attention to the implementation of integration policies in France, a founder member of the European union (EU), which exclude immigrants and French citizens of foreign origin. The report, prepared by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), says that immigrants are discriminated against on issues of employment, rights of settlement and education and criticizes the closure of public domains to the immigrants who have lived in the country for many years. For example, a Turkish person living in France for 40 years can still not become a garbage-man in a French municipality unless he is a citizen.
Furthermore, the "Framework Agreement on National Minority Protection" that caused discussions between ECRI and France will also harm Turkey in the following period. The agreement provides greater rights to ethnic minorities including those of forming ethnic educational institutions administered by individuals of the ethnic minority within their education systems".
The EU Commission has reminded Turkey in its "Progress Report" published on the 6th of October 2004 that Turkey had not signed five texts about human rights including the mentioned agreement. France's attitude also encourages Turkey since it is an EU member, but these requirements will always be ahead of Turkey during the EU process. The Turkish government, meanwhile, transferred the "European Council Reviewed Social Charter" one of the five agreements not yet signed, to Parliament last week.
The "Framework Agreement on National Minorities Protection" which provides greater rights to ethnic minorities is the most troublesome agreement among those Turkey must sign. According to the Lausanne Agreement, Turkey defines non-Muslim communities as minority, but the EU Commission also defines Kurds and Alevis as minorities.
Source: Zaman, 17 February 2005 |
Thursday, 17 February 2005
Zaman
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