Brussels, 17/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn does not look favourably on the decision of the chief prosecutor general of the Turkish High Court of Appeals to call for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to be banned for contravening the country's secular constitution. Rehn says this initiative infringes the principle of the separation of powers and could slow, or even put an end to, the reforms being carried out in preparation for Turkey's future accession to the EU. “We respect the separation of powers. The executive shouldn't meddle in the courts' work, and the legal system shouldn't meddle with democratic politics. … In line with the constitution, democratic principles should also be respected by the legal system,” he said at a conference organised by Brussels Forum in Brussels on 15 March. On Monday 17 March, a Commission spokesman said that, for Rehn, “legal authority must not encroach upon a political debate which takes place in parliament. … This debate (on Turkey's being a secular state) must take place in parliament and not in the law courts…. In this debate, the political must prevail”. Rehn also expressed his hope that this “incident” would not divert the attention of Turkish authorities away from the reforms being carried out and that it would not delay the adoption of essential measures in preparation for Turkey's accession to the EU. (H.B.)