The call will pave the way for a democratic policy in Turkey, which makes the resolution process take a new shape, Davutoglu said.
Earlier in the day, Sirri Sureyya Onder, a lawmaker of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), held a meeting with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan and Interior Minister Efkan Ala in Istanbul, saying at a joint conference that Ocalan also urged his followers to attend a congress on disarmament in Spring.
This is a historic call to replace armed struggle with democratic politics, Onder said, adding that "we call on all democratic parties to support this democratic solution."
Meanwhile, Akdogan said disarmament would contribute to the democratic development, noting that we are determined to conclude this resolution process with full support of the public.
The Kurdish insurgent groups have demanded separation from Turkey to create an independent Kurdistan or to have autonomy and greater political and cultural rights for Kurds inside the Republic of Turkey.
The PKK, the main rebel group, is considered as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and NATO.
The PKK's military presence in Iraq's Kurdistan region, from which it launches attacks on Turkey, has led the Turkish military to carry out frequent ground incursions, air and artillery strikes in that region, as the Kurdistan Regional Government said it has no sufficient military forces to prevent the PKK's operation.
The conflict has particularly affected Turkey's tourism industry and has cost Turkey around 300 to 450 billion US dollars, local media said.
Source:Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
1/3/15
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Kurdish Rebels Call Disarmament Move Historic ...
ReplyDeleteKurdish militants on Sunday described as "historic" a call by their jailed leader to hold a disarmament congress and said Turkey must now take concrete steps to keep the peace process on track.
Abdullah Ocalan, who still exerts influence over the armed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from his prison cell, on Saturday called on followers to meet in the spring and agree to lay down their arms.
Ocalan's call has been lauded by both sides as a crucial step in Turkey's efforts to negotiate an end to a 30-year insurgency that has killed 40,000 people, mostly Kurds.
"Such a goodwill statement presents a very important foundation and opportunity to democratize the state and government and resolve the Kurdish issue and Turkey's basic problems," the PKK said in a statement.
"The government should take sweeping, concrete steps and have a serious political response," it said...............http://www.voanews.com/content/kurdish-rebels-call-disarmament-move-historic-want-turkey-to-step-up-reforms/2663574.html
1/3/15
The U.S. on Monday welcomed a call for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, to lay down its arms against the Turkish military...
ReplyDeleteSirri Sureyya Onder, Deputy of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democracy Party, or HDP, announced Saturday that the PKK was invited by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan to meet in the spring to reach common ground on ending the more than 30-year fight.
"We would welcome all steps in support of a peaceful resolution in this conflict and commend the efforts of both the government and all parties concerned to work towards a lasting peace," said State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf.
“The solution process, which began with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's speech in Diyarbakir in 2005, has now taken a new shape," said Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, in reference to the then prime minister who spoke in the mainly Kurdish populated city and said more democracy, not more repression, was the answer to the conflict.
The PKK has fought for an independent Kurdish state since 1984. Its attacks have claimed approximately 36,000 lives in Turkey.
Turkey, the U.S. and the EU has designated the PKK a terrorist organization.
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/news/473045--u-s-welcomes-call-for-disarmament-of-pkk
3/3/15