What is the current state of Turkey’s long-running EU accession talks? And will the murder in Paris of three PKK activists affect them? We asked two leading MEPs.

Talking point: Murder of Kurdish activists

The EU’s relations with Turkey have been  brought back into the spotlight

with mass demonstrations over the murders  in Paris of three Kurdish women:

Sakine Cansiz, Fidan Dogan  and Leyla Söylemez.

All were supporters of the outlawed PKK  Kurdistan Workers’ Party

and its imprisoned founder,  Abdullah Öcalan.

It could derail peace talks  between Ankara and the PKK,

although two PKK members  have now been arrested for the murders.

Turkey has long sought  to join the European Union.

We asked two MEPs,  Dutch member Ria Oomen-Ruijten

and Philippe Boulland of France  how things stand.

Step by step, they are going  to the right direction. That's for sure.

we had a positive agenda with them,  we negotiated on various issues -

It will also bring, I hope, this year,  major steps forward

Because that is the cause of  most of the problems.

Some important points are  blocking things at the moment.

The Cyprus question, you know, is  a key element in the accession process.

There’s also the Kurdish question,  which is a key element, and human rights.

It’s inconceivable that compliance  with regulations wouldn't follow.

And Turkey’s attitude towards the Cypriot  Presidency wasn’t acceptable.

What effect are the recent killings  likely to have on relations?

The investigation has to be done in France.

As politicians, we don't know  who is trying to frustrate the negotiations.

unification, the better integration  of the Kurdish wishes in Turkey.

also that extremists on both sides  have it in their interests

to provoke this type of situations,  this type of attacks,

so all the possibilities are open.  I think all the leads are being followed.

Obviously in any case we can but  condemn these attacks on French soil.