EU voert druk op Turkije op over vrijheid van meningsuiting (en)

The European Commission has praised a Turkish court verdict clearing a top novelist but repeated that Ankara's laws limiting freedom of expression should be scrapped altogether, with commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso i saying Brussels is "not encouraged" by the latest signals from Ankara.

Elif Shafak, one of the best-selling Turkish authors, was declared innocent by a court in Istanbul on Thursday (21 September) after having been charged with insulting "Turkishness" over comments on the mass killings of Armenians in 1915 made by characters in her novel.

A commission spokeswoman welcomed the judgement as "obviously good news" but added that the legal restrictions which sparked the court case "aren't in line with EU rules on human rights and freedom of expression."

She referred to article 301 of Turkey's penal code which has been criticised by Brussels a number of times and is likely to be highlighted in a major report on Ankara's progress in its EU accession negotiations - scheduled for 8 November.

Following the court decision, the novelist herself said "I'm very happy with the outcome but only on a personal basis. As long as 301 is out there and interpreted or misinterpreted like that there'll be many other cases like this," she told Reuters.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signalled that the government would consider changing the controversial article, suggesting "The ruling party and the opposition can sit down together again to discuss this issue as laws are not eternal," according to Anatolia news agency.

However, both Brussels and Ankara are less optimistic about the resolution of another major problem - Turkey's relations with EU member state Cyprus - which could eventually cause a suspension of its negotiations this autumn.

Mr Barroso told Euronews on Thursday "At the moment, we are not particularly encouraged by the information which we are receiving."

"I think Turkey needs to understand that it has to comply with its promises and obligations. Among them are the obligations of the Ankara protocol: that is, guaranteeing the access of Cypriot ships into Turkish ports, these are vessels of a member state."

Mr Barroso added the November report by his team evaluating the country's progress "will be honest, objective and rigorous."

According to the European Voice, EU diplomats are currently trying hard to avoid a "train crash" at the end of this year - as mooted by the enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn earlier this year due to a looming impatience by Cyprus.

The Brussels-based weekly reported that the commission would in its report identify a list of legislation chapters not linked to customs union issues on which Ankara could keep negotiating despite missing the December deadline for opening up to Cypriot vessels and planes.

While Cyprus is expected to oppose this solution, France - usually a harsh critic of Turkey - could back it, according to a French government spokesman.

"We support all efforts to avoid this 'train crash' and which permit negotiations to go ahead on the basis of good faith," he said.