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We and our EU partners regularly engage with the Turkish government on the full range
of EU accession matters, including on human rights and freedom of religion and belief.
We are encouraged by the progress Turkey has made on these issues. In particular,
we welcome the steps taken to protect the interests of religious minorities in Turkey.
This includes the freedom granted to hold religious services at the Greek Orthodox
Sumela Monastery and Armenian Orthodox Akdamar Church; updated religious textbooks
for schools; and the returning of property seized by the state to religious minorities.
We are also encouraged by the ‘democratisation package’ announced by the Turkish government
in October 2013, aimed at addressing concerns over minority rights.
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