President Demirel of Turkey says his country's anger over the refusal of the European Union to include it on the list of countries ready for membership negotiations does not mean it has abandoned its attachment to Europe.

Mr Demirel said Europe was more than the European Union and Turkey had not changed its view of itself as a European nation, nor abandoned the idea of co-operation.

Mr Demirel's comments, in the northern city of Samsun, echoed remarks by the prime minister, Mesut Yilmaz, in the United States, where he told American television viewers that respect for human rights -- one of the areas of EU criticism -- had been identified as a top priority.

He said his government was committed to dealing seriously with allegations of torture and ill-treatment and was also making social and cultural changes to improve the situation in south-eastern Kurdish areas.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
 

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