Friday, 18 September 2009
Turkish prime minister has sounded resolute in his determination over government's move to widen democratic rights and freedoms. "As the ruling party, we are determined on this issue and there is no turning back now. We want to achieve this democratic move under the roof of the parliament and take this step together as a nation," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told editor-in-chiefs of major national newspapers at a fast breaking dinner in Istanbul.
Erdogan criticized leaders of the opposition parties, Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), in their dead set rejection to talk with the government on the democratic move.
Erdogan said he would write a letter to CHP leader Deniz Baykal in an appeal to discuss the issue.
MHP leader Devlet Bahceli had earlier expressed in writing his opposition to any dialogue with the government over the democratic move.
In response to a question, the Turkish premier said Syria had expressed support for Turkey's democratic move, adding that security forces estimated that there were around 1,500 Syrian nationals among the members of the terrorist PKK organization. Erdogan said Syria was ready to receive these Syrian nationals if they decided to quit the organization.
The Turkish premier said they would not take the terrorist organization or its head as "a party to talk to" and rejected any proposal to end military operations against the PKK.
"There are 'guerillas' so they call themselves, who are ready to make armed attacks as members of a terrorist organization and threaten our people. And there is no way that our security forces, who are responsible for protecting our people, can walk around unarmed. If there is somebody to lay down arms, then it would have to be the terrorist organization, which would also come as a relief to our citizens of Kurdish descent," Erdogan said.
