Oral Answers to Questions

Richard Ottaway Excerpts
Tuesday 20th January 2015

(9 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Lidington Portrait Mr Lidington
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We regularly raise human rights concerns, including freedom of the media, with Turkish officials, and Ministers and will continue to do so. I believe that the EU accession process provides the best mechanism through which to press and encourage Turkey to move further in the right direction.

Richard Ottaway Portrait Sir Richard Ottaway (Croydon South) (Con)
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On the last point, is the Minister aware that Turkey has had more cases referred to the European Court of Human Rights than Putin’s Russia? Also, if Turkey wishes to be taken seriously, it must become a more reliable ally. Will he press Turkey to make its bases available to coalition aircraft and to control its border with Syria much more tightly than it is at the moment?