ARDAHAN (AA) - Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday that Taksim Gezi Park protests held across Turkey were similar to the ones in Madrid, Athens, New York and London, criticizing the European Parliament's resolution on Turkey without having accurate and healthy information on Gezi Park protests.
Addressing people in Turkish far northeastern province Ardahan, Turkish President Gul commented on European Parliament's resolution accepted on Thursday on Taksim Gezi Park protests.
Submitted jointly by the Christian Democrats, Socialists, Liberals, Greens and Conservatives at the EP General Assembly, the EP resolution urged Turkey to consult with the public over issues related to city and urban development plans.
President Gul criticized European Parliament for issuing a resolution on Turkey with lack of information and underlined that EP cannot submit to Turkey such a resolution as it is not a Copenhagen political criteria for EU accession talks.
Reminding that Turkey is currently holding accession negotiations with the EU, "The EU probably knows that Turkey's negotiating its EU membership with the EU. The condition to negotiate is to carry out Copenhagen political criteria.Turkey can negotiate its EU accesison talks as it fullfilled the criteria. When the EP reacts, it should take this into consideration and have enough information on what really happened in Gezi Park protests. These protests are similar to the ones in Madrid, Athens, New York and London," he noted.
The resolution is legally non-binding for Turkey, calling Turkey to balance economic development with social, environmental, cultural and historical concerns and asked the country to hold environmental impact assessment reports in all projects.
The EP resolution also urged Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to assume "a unifying and conciliatory position" over issues in the country, expressing concerns over "the disproportionate and excessive use of force" by police in Gezi Park incidents.
President Gul also commented on the White House's statement on the use of chemical weapons in Syria, saying "Use of chemical weapons is almost similar to a smalll nuclear weapon, which has terrifiying dimensions."
He urged all diplomats and experts to make a sensitive and thorough evaluation, saying "If such a claim is verified by a hard evidence, it will certainly change the course of events."
Stressing Turkey's stance towards the Syrian crisis, Turkish President Gul added, "End of the violence, civil war and facilitating a cease fire in Syria is something we as their neighbours wish more than anything. Syria is burning itself out for all the world to see."
He also expressed his hope for the upcoming Geneva II Conference to yield a result that can end the violence and bring democratic order to Syria as a milestone.
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