European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso Thursday urged Turkey to speed up reforms needed to meet European Union membership criteria. Barroso, who is on a three-day visit to Turkey, said the country's membership in the EU would offer what he called a "powerful alternative" to militant Islam.

Two top European Union officials are visiting Ankara to discuss Turkey's failure to introduce reforms required for EU membership. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Enlargement Commissioner Oli Rehn want Turkey to re-embrace its commitment to EU reforms.

Turkey's prime minister criticized European nations Saturday for providing sanctuary to groups that support the Kurdish Workers Party, which Turkey, the European Union and the United States have labeled a terrorist organization. VOA's Al Pessin reports from Munich, where Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to the European Security Conference on Saturday.

Turkey opens an Armenian church but outlaws praying and worship in it. Turkey speaks of tragedy of 1915 but stubbornly denies the term "genocide."