I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 41 together.
I have availed of all appropriate opportunities in bilateral contacts with the Turkish authorities to express the Government's deep concern about continued reports of human rights violations in Turkey such as those reported by Amnesty International. In line with this approach, I have strongly supported the emphasis placed by the European Union on human rights issues in dialogue with Turkey. The Union has stressed that observance of a state of law and basic liberties underlie the development of relations between the EU and Turkey and wishes to see rapid implementation of the plans for the exercise of public freedoms recently put forward by the Turkish Prime Minister. While the EU has repeatedly condemned terrorist acts in Turkey and is conscious of the problems that these acts pose for the Turkish authorities, it has made it clear that it expects the fight against terrorism to be conducted within the law and with full respect for human rights.
In addition to raising the matter bilaterally, the EU is pursuing its concerns about human rights in Turkey in all appropriate internationnal organisations and fora, including at the session of the UN Commission on Human Rights which is currently taking place in Geneva. The EU has also called on Turkey to grant access to an OSCE human rights mission. The option of further steps under the Moscow Mechanism is a possibility which, in consultation with our EU partners and other like-minded OSCE participating countries, we are keeping under active consideration in the light of developments.