Azerbaijan, Baku, April 16 /Trend News, E.Ostapenko/

There has been observed the second wind in Turkey's integration to the European Union, Chairman of EU-Turkey Delegation in European Parliament Joost Lagendijk said.

"A new feeling of optimism has been observed in EU," Lagendijk told Trend News over phone from Brussels.

A slowdown in the reforms in 2005 -2008 was changed with Turkey's positive steps. This increased the EU optimism.

Lagendijk voiced five main steps, which allowed to look fresh at Turkey's integration. One of the steps is the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and head of the leading opposition party -Republican People's Party Deniz Baikal to Brussels in early of the year. During the visit Erdogan and Baikal explained that the EU is still top priority for Turkey rkey, Lagendijk said.

Another important issue was called appointment of Egemen Bakish as chief negotiator in the negotiations between Turkey and EU ON Turkey's accession to EU, the nomination that is seen very positively inside the EU.  

Thirdly, the TRT6 Kurdish language national television, which is seen as an important step forward to solve the Kurdish issue, was opened.

A radio and TRT 6 Kurdish language national television were opened in Turkey in 2008 and January 2009 respectively. The channel is broadcasting not only in Turkey, but also in Iraq, Iran and Syria.

Fourthly, the talks between Turkey and Armenia are seen from a very positive in restoring diplomatic relations and opening of borders, which will help not only to Turkey's accession to EU, but also resolution to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 due to Armenia's claims of an alleged genocide, and the country's occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Yerevan on Sept. 6, 2008 upon the invitation of his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisyan to watch an Armenia-Turkey football match.

Efforts have been made to normalize ties between the two countries ever since

The fifth point is the fact that there are ongoing talks between the Turkish government and the Alawi leadership.

Alawi is the largest religious minority in Turkey, constituting about 20 percent of the population. The Turkish authorities still prefer to ignore their existence: Alawi community has no official status. The issue of ending discrimination against Alawis and the protection of their rights and freedoms included in the criteria for the accession of Turkey to the EU.

The talks on Turkey's accession to the EU were launched in 2005. According to experts, Turkey will become the EU full member within 1-15 years.

The main obstacle on Turkey's way is territorial disputes with the Greek Cyprus, which occurred as a result of division of the island into two parts in 1974.

If Turkey to be accessed to the EU, it will expand the EU market and grant qualified working force to European companies, which suffer of ageing aboriginal population.

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