Turkey must lift headscarf ban for EU: formin
24027
Turkey must lift a ban on headscarves at  university as part of democratic reforms aimed at European  Union accession, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Saturday.
291221
Turkey signaled growing unease on Monday that the European Union wants to impose special conditions on its drive to join the wealthy bloc and
259429
French President Jacques Chirac says Turkey can join the EU as a member if it meets entry requirements.
15372
A move to lift a ban on young women students wearing headscarves at universities has renewed the battle between secularists and the government
141323
Turkey's ruling AK Party and opposition MPs are to present a plan to ease the headscarf ban in universities.
312781
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Thursday that Turkey must show it is willing to meet EU demands in its membership talks, denying Brussels wanted to drive it from the negotiating table.
290058
MEISE, Belgium, Dec 16  - The EU must be sure it has the &quot;capacity to absorb&quot; Turkey before it gives a green light to the vast Muslim country&#39;s hopes of joining the bloc, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel warned Thursday.
266334
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for the lifting of a ban on women wearing headscarves at state universities. Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party began drafting a new constitution after its landslide election victory in July.  The separation of religion and state enshrined in the current constitution is one of the key issues in the debate.
280831
BRUSSELS - The European Union cannot start entry negotiations with Turkey unless Ankara adopts a reform of its penal code, a European Commission spokesman said on Monday.
433129
A European Union commissioner Wednesday recommended partially suspending membership talks with Turkey to protest Ankara's continued refusal to open its ports to EU member Cyprus.
333851
European Union leaders said Turkey could join its ranks as soon as 10 years from now, but warned that it must overcome opposition to a Muslim country's entering the European fold.
718717
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan urged the European Union on Thursday to open its doors to non-Christians after French President Jacques Chirac made a vibrant appeal to bring Turkey into the EU.
637553
STRASBOURG, France - The European Union has recommend Turkey be put on the path to full membership, a historic move that could push Europe's borders to the Middle East and stoked fears among Europeans wary of bringing a poor Muslim country into the prosperous bloc.    Reflecting widespread misgivings, the 30-member EU executive commission on Wednesday set tough conditions to prevent Turkey from backtracking on sweeping democratic and human rights reforms, prompting a sharp response from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan...
233141
An influential Dutch advisory body said Wednesday that Islam was not a bar to membership in the European Union and recommended the organization open talks with Turkey, while insisting Ankara do more to meet EU ...
194160
Turkey's parliament prepares to change the constitution to ease the ban on Islamic headscarves in universities.
676684
Turkey's prime minister on Wednesday challenged a ban on women wearing head scarves in universities and public offices, saying there is no need to wait for a constitutional change to remove the ban, state-run media said.
726158
ISTANBUL, Feb 4 (IPS) - Turkey's Islamic-rooted governing party is  moving ahead with hotly contested constitutional amendments that  would lift the ban on headscarves at universities. Opponents see  it as a danger-laden step undermining the currently rigid secular  regime by introducing Islamic principles that may extend far  beyond higher learning.