Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on Tuesday vowed to speed up political reform efforts ahead of European Union membership talks in October but said the 25-nation bloc must keep its pledge to help end the isolation of northern Cyprus. Gul, attending a meeting with E.U. foreign ministers, also said Ankara was ready to sign a so-called "additional protocol" extending a current E.U.-Turkish customs union deal to include Cyprus and other new members of the 25-nation bloc. E.U. governments have made Turkish political reform and Ankara's inclusion of Cyprus in the customs union pact - seen in Brussels as de facto Turkish recognition of Nicosia - as key conditions for the opening of entry talks on October 3. Gul said there was no date for signature of the pact, but E.U. officials said the deal would be discussed by the bloc's governments as of mid-May. "We will achieve signature of the protocol in good time," said E.U. enlargement chief Olli Rehn. Most of the discussions in Luxembourg focused on Turkey's efforts at political reform, with E.U. officials warning that Ankara still had hard work ahead to bring key pieces of political legislation into force. These included measures to reinforce the rule of law, human rights, women's rights and a penal code ensuring freedom of expression and media freedom, said Rehn. "There is a need for further progress," Rehn told reporters at a joint press conference with Gul, adding: "It is essential to keep the momentum of reforms and implement them so that they become reality in all walks of life and in all corners of the country." --more 1424 Local Time 1124 GMT
