The president of the Liberal Group of the European Parliament said yesterday that Turkey's relations with the European Union were on track, despite periodical ups and downs.

Graham Watson urged the government to take stronger steps in areas of judicial reform and freedom of expression, which will undoubtedly strengthen Ankara's hand in negotiations with the 27-nation bloc.

Watson, and a group of parliamentarians from the Liberal Group, met yesterday with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan and Ahmet Turk, the leader of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Toptan, Watson expressed support for Turkey's bid to join the EU. "We are closely following the progress made in Turkey," he was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency. Watson asked Toptan if the government would be able to live up to its commitments in the national program, a roadmap for progress in negotiations with the EU. In response, Toptan said Parliament passed many reforms for alignment with the acquis and vowed the work would continue when Parliament opens its fall session next month.

Meanwhile, Watson praised the Turkish president's landmark visit to neighboring Armenia early this month and suggested that the sealed border between the two countries be reopened, the Turkish Daily News reports