BRUSSELS (AFP) –EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn urged Turkey yesterday to speed up human rights reforms to keep its bid for European Union membership on track. “Turkey needs to make speedy progress on reforms that enhance fundamental freedoms,” Rehn told members of the European Parliament in Brussels. “We all know that the freedom of expression remains an area in which reforms are badly overdue,” he said, referring notably to Article 301 of Turkey’s penal code, which provides up to four years in jail for “insulting Turkishness.”

BELGRADE (AP) –A split in Serbia’s governing coalition over future ties with the EU is threatening to push Belgrade toward another political showdown two weeks after Kosovo declared independence, analysts say. The dispute between Serbia’s nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and pro-Western President Boris Tadic will eventually determine whether Serbia will continue its progress toward joining the EU or shun the West in favor of closer ties with Russia. Political analysts predict that splits within Serbia’s shaky ruling coalition could lead to a collapse of the government and an early parliamentary election this year. The spokesman for Kostunica’s party, Andreja Mladenovic, said yesterday the two camps should meet to discuss future strategy.

Turkey’s prime minister is appealing to Israeli and Palestinian leaders to end the violence in the Gaza Strip that has resulted in the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians. Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday that Israeli attacks on Gaza were “unacceptable” and renewed an offer to mediate between the sides, his office says. (AP)

Serbia’s pro-Russian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has congratulated Dmitry Medvedev on his triumph in Russia’s presidential elections. Kostunica said yesterday that Medvedev has scored a “great victory” and praised Russia’s policies. He said “Russia has become... a guardian of the basic principles of international law.” (AP)

Turk President Abdullah Gul began a two-day official visit to Romania yesterday amid differences between the two countries over Kosovo and a regional gas pipeline project. Romania supports the involvement of Gaz de France in the Nabucco project but Ankara rejects the participation of the French company. Romanian President Traian Basescu said he raised the issue with Gul, and that the Turkish side would analyze it. (AP)