Turkey passes key reform package

Nationalists tried to block the vote - without success

The Turkish parliament has formally approved a package of key democratic reforms, designed to improve the country's chances of European Union membership.

The death penalty wil be abolished, the ban on education and broadcasts in Kurdish lifted.

Ecevit: Hopes to open EU door

Final parliamentary confirmation came after a marathon all-night session, and now only requires the formality of presidential approval to become law.

Nationalist deputies strongly opposed the moves, seeing them as a concession to Kurdish rebels and their 15-year campaign for autonomy in the south-east of the country.

"We are happy that the death penalty is being lifted in Turkey," embattled Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said after the vote. "It is important that the EU's door opens up for Turkey."

Kurdish reform

The death penalty will be replaced by life imprisonment without parole, although it will remain on the statute books in wartime.

The change will save the life of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Ocalan will escape the death penalty

The largest group in parliament, the Nationalist Action Party, made Ocalan's execution the centre of its 1999 election campaign.

No executions have been carried out since 1984, although dozens of people are on death row.

Members of the party told parliament that the families of those killed by the rebel Kurdish PKK were watching the debate.

Turkey's reform package

end the death penalty

allow Kurdish broadcasts and education

end penalties for criticism of state institutions

ease restrictions on public demonstrations

ease restrictions for foreign organisations working in the country

toughen measures against illegal immigration

greater freedom for non-Muslim minoriy religions

But such arguments failed to deter deputies from abolishing the death penalty by a large majority - a move which set the mood for further votes.

Early on Saturday, parliament legalised Kurdish radio and television broadcasts - one of the most controversial elements of the reform package , which ends years of severe state restrictions.

The country's estimated 12 million Kurds will also be allowed to have private Kurdish-language education.

The BBC's Jonny Dymond in Istanbul says that to its supporters, the death penalty has been a sign of Turkey's resolve against terrorism, and to its opponents, a sign of state brutality and backwardness.

Experts say that supporters of the reforms want to adopt the whole package before campaigning starts for the general election on 3 November.

Turkey wants the EU to set a firm date by the end of the year when the country can start membership talks.

But Brussels insists reforms should be passed and implemented before it could consider such a move.