03 October 2004	Sunday	17 Shaban 1425

PARIS, Oct 2: Turkey has made significant reforms to position itself for one day joining the European Union, but in many key areas they still fall short, an EU report due to be published next week says, according to France's Le Monde newspaper.

The abolition of the death penalty, a crackdown on the use of torture, a reduction in the role the powerful military has to play in society and increased tolerance for the Kurdish population all show "a substantial institutional convergence towards European standards," Saturday's edition of Le Monde quoted the report as saying.

Nevertheless, its publication next Wednesday will also highlight shortcomings.

"Even though torture is no longer systematic, several cases of torture and particularly ill-treatment continue to occur and extra efforts will be needed to eradicate such practices," the report said.

Complaints of torture outside of official detention centres "considerably" increased in the first half of 2003, it said.

Army chiefs who in the past stepped in to shape the direction of Turkey "continue to exert influence through a series of informal channels", new laws are often interpreted in a "restrictive" fashion, religious minorities are not accorded the same rights as citizens from the Muslim majority. -AFP