Mr President, we fully share the widespread concern over the fate of the six Kurdish members of the Turkish Grand National Assembly belonging to the DEP Party, not least because Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code under which they are charged carries a mandatory death penalty.

I do not propose to deal with the detail of the case since it has been covered to a large extent by our motion for compromise and also by Mr Sakellariou. But it is a matter for the utmost regret that this serious issue should also serve further to damage relations between the European Union and Turkey. So long as the trial continues - and we do not accept, I say again, that the procedure is legal - we must insist as a Parliament that the trial is seen to be fair and we therefore urge the Turkish authorities to allow international observers to be allowed to be present, including some nominated by the European Union.

I beg to support.