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| Istanbul Gezi Park plan to proceed - Turkish PM Erdogan | Istanbul Gezi Park plan to proceed - Turkish PM Erdogan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said plans to redevelop a park in Istanbul will go ahead despite mass protests rocking the country. | Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said plans to redevelop a park in Istanbul will go ahead despite mass protests rocking the country. |
| Describing some of the demonstrators as "extremists", he said seven foreigners had been arrested over the unrest. | Describing some of the demonstrators as "extremists", he said seven foreigners had been arrested over the unrest. |
| Mr Erdogan made the remarks in Tunis. He is to return to Turkey from a North African tour later on Thursday. | Mr Erdogan made the remarks in Tunis. He is to return to Turkey from a North African tour later on Thursday. |
| A large protest group has called for further demonstrations in response to the comments, correspondents say. | A large protest group has called for further demonstrations in response to the comments, correspondents say. |
| The demonstrators had hoped for a sign of compromise but Mr Erdogan's comments are likely to fan the flames of discontent, says the BBC's Mark Lowen in Istanbul. | |
| The economic response was swift, with the stock market dropping nearly 5% after the prime minister's announcement. | The economic response was swift, with the stock market dropping nearly 5% after the prime minister's announcement. |
| The original sit-in at Gezi Park spiralled into nationwide unrest after police cracked down on activists defending the green space near Istanbul's Taksim Square from developers. | The original sit-in at Gezi Park spiralled into nationwide unrest after police cracked down on activists defending the green space near Istanbul's Taksim Square from developers. |
| For days, demonstrators in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities have been calling for the three-term prime minister to quit. | For days, demonstrators in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities have been calling for the three-term prime minister to quit. |
| They accuse his government of becoming increasingly authoritarian and trying to impose conservative Islamic values on a secular state. | They accuse his government of becoming increasingly authoritarian and trying to impose conservative Islamic values on a secular state. |
| Four people including a police officer are reported to have died, thousands have been injured and hundreds arrested in the unrest. | Four people including a police officer are reported to have died, thousands have been injured and hundreds arrested in the unrest. |
| 'Implicated in terrorism' | 'Implicated in terrorism' |
| Speaking in Tunis, Mr Erdogan acknowledged that police had used "excessive force" against activists at the original sit-in. But he said that a small group of extremists was now manipulating what had started as an environmental protest. | Speaking in Tunis, Mr Erdogan acknowledged that police had used "excessive force" against activists at the original sit-in. But he said that a small group of extremists was now manipulating what had started as an environmental protest. |
| "Among the protesters, there are extremists, some of them implicated in terrorism," he told reporters. | "Among the protesters, there are extremists, some of them implicated in terrorism," he told reporters. |
| Mr Erdogan also defended the urban development plan for Gezi Park. | Mr Erdogan also defended the urban development plan for Gezi Park. |
| "The project respects [Turkey's] history, culture and environment," he said. "What we are doing is to protect the rights of the majority and to preserve the beauty of Istanbul." | "The project respects [Turkey's] history, culture and environment," he said. "What we are doing is to protect the rights of the majority and to preserve the beauty of Istanbul." |
| Tunisian riot police surrounded the Turkish embassy in Tunis during Mr Erdogan's visit, after local left-wing groups called for protests to show solidarity with the demonstrators in Turkey, the AP news agency reports. | Tunisian riot police surrounded the Turkish embassy in Tunis during Mr Erdogan's visit, after local left-wing groups called for protests to show solidarity with the demonstrators in Turkey, the AP news agency reports. |
| Meanwhile several of Turkey's largest unions called for calm on Thursday. | Meanwhile several of Turkey's largest unions called for calm on Thursday. |
| "Violence and fighting don't solve anything, and they make it impossible to solve problems," the unions said in a joint statement. | "Violence and fighting don't solve anything, and they make it impossible to solve problems," the unions said in a joint statement. |
| In Istanbul, thousands of striking workers joined the demonstrations on Wednesday. They held banners addressed to Mr Erdogan reading: "This nation will not bow to you!" and "Taksim Square is everywhere!" | In Istanbul, thousands of striking workers joined the demonstrations on Wednesday. They held banners addressed to Mr Erdogan reading: "This nation will not bow to you!" and "Taksim Square is everywhere!" |
| In the coastal city of Izmir, police have released about 30 people detained earlier for posting "misinformation" on Twitter, the state-run Anatolia news agency reports. | In the coastal city of Izmir, police have released about 30 people detained earlier for posting "misinformation" on Twitter, the state-run Anatolia news agency reports. |
| Mr Erdogan has called the micro-blogging site a "menace" used to spread "lies". | Mr Erdogan has called the micro-blogging site a "menace" used to spread "lies". |
| Sit-in | Sit-in |
| Earlier this week, Deputy PM Bulent Arinc apologised for police violence in the original protest, which took place a week ago. | Earlier this week, Deputy PM Bulent Arinc apologised for police violence in the original protest, which took place a week ago. |
| Protest representatives who met Mr Arinc on Wednesday presented a list of demands, which included the dismissal of police chiefs, a ban on the use of tear gas, the release of detained protesters, the sacking of Istanbul's governor, and the scrapping of the plans for the redevelopment of Gezi Park. | Protest representatives who met Mr Arinc on Wednesday presented a list of demands, which included the dismissal of police chiefs, a ban on the use of tear gas, the release of detained protesters, the sacking of Istanbul's governor, and the scrapping of the plans for the redevelopment of Gezi Park. |
| Opponents of the plan say the park is of the few green areas left in central Istanbul - many had been camping out there for several days in protest. | Opponents of the plan say the park is of the few green areas left in central Istanbul - many had been camping out there for several days in protest. |
| But Mr Erdogan has repeatedly said the project would go ahead, and that the historic Ottoman-era military barracks would be rebuilt on the site as planned. | But Mr Erdogan has repeatedly said the project would go ahead, and that the historic Ottoman-era military barracks would be rebuilt on the site as planned. |
| His ruling Justice and Development Party has governed Turkey since 2002, winning a series of election victories. | His ruling Justice and Development Party has governed Turkey since 2002, winning a series of election victories. |