This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/28/turkey-erdogan-not-possible-peace-process-kurdish-militants
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Turkey says Kurdish peace process impossible as Nato meets | Turkey says Kurdish peace process impossible as Nato meets |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has said it is impossible to continue a peace process with Kurdish militants and urged parliament to strip politicians with links to “terrorist groups” of their immunity from prosecution. | The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has said it is impossible to continue a peace process with Kurdish militants and urged parliament to strip politicians with links to “terrorist groups” of their immunity from prosecution. |
| His comments came as Nato envoys met in Brussels to discuss the crisis in Syria and Iraq in a special session requested by Turkey. | |
| Related: Nato meets to discuss Turkey's Syria campaign | Related: Nato meets to discuss Turkey's Syria campaign |
| “It is not possible for us to continue the peace process with those who threaten our national unity and brotherhood,” Erdoğan told a news conference in Ankara before departing for an official visit to China. | “It is not possible for us to continue the peace process with those who threaten our national unity and brotherhood,” Erdoğan told a news conference in Ankara before departing for an official visit to China. |
| The Turkish air force has bombed camps in northern Iraq of the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK). The PKK said the air strikes rendered the peace process meaningless, but had stopped short of formally pulling out. | The Turkish air force has bombed camps in northern Iraq of the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK). The PKK said the air strikes rendered the peace process meaningless, but had stopped short of formally pulling out. |
| Opening the specially convened meeting in Brussels, Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, expressed solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Stoltenberg told the 28-member alliance: “Nato is following developments very closely. And we stand in strong solidarity with our ally Turkey.” | Opening the specially convened meeting in Brussels, Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, expressed solidarity with Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Stoltenberg told the 28-member alliance: “Nato is following developments very closely. And we stand in strong solidarity with our ally Turkey.” |
| Stoltenberg said it was right to hold the meeting since there is instability on Turkey’s border and Nato’s southeastern border. | Stoltenberg said it was right to hold the meeting since there is instability on Turkey’s border and Nato’s southeastern border. |
| It was easy for Stoltenberg to express support for Turkey joining the fight against Islamic State. More problematic for the US and other members of the alliance is Turkey linking the fight against terrorism to include the PKK. | It was easy for Stoltenberg to express support for Turkey joining the fight against Islamic State. More problematic for the US and other members of the alliance is Turkey linking the fight against terrorism to include the PKK. |
| The difficulty for the US and other allies is that the fight against Kurdish separatists is largely seen as a domestic problem. A further – and bigger – reservation is that the PKK is one of the few armed groups in the region putting up a fight against Isis. | The difficulty for the US and other allies is that the fight against Kurdish separatists is largely seen as a domestic problem. A further – and bigger – reservation is that the PKK is one of the few armed groups in the region putting up a fight against Isis. |
| Stoltenberg chose his words carefully, reflecting the alliance’s ambiguous position in regard to the PKK. He said that “terrorism in all its forms” can never be justified. | Stoltenberg chose his words carefully, reflecting the alliance’s ambiguous position in regard to the PKK. He said that “terrorism in all its forms” can never be justified. |
| Nato officials said Turkey called the meeting primarily to seek backing but no major military deployment was expected at this stage. It is only the fifth such meeting in the alliance’s history to be called under article 4, under which a nation can request an emergency session when it feels under threat. | Nato officials said Turkey called the meeting primarily to seek backing but no major military deployment was expected at this stage. It is only the fifth such meeting in the alliance’s history to be called under article 4, under which a nation can request an emergency session when it feels under threat. |
| Related: US deal with Turkey over Isis may go beyond simple use of an airbase | Related: US deal with Turkey over Isis may go beyond simple use of an airbase |
| A similar meeting called by Turkey in 2012 amid concern over instability in Syria led to deployment of missiles. | |
| The ambassadors were expected on Tuesday to discuss a joint Turkish-US proposal to establish an “Isis-free zone” along its border with Syria, though the plan is still at an early stage, with no decision reached yet on issues such as who would protect it. | The ambassadors were expected on Tuesday to discuss a joint Turkish-US proposal to establish an “Isis-free zone” along its border with Syria, though the plan is still at an early stage, with no decision reached yet on issues such as who would protect it. |
| Erdoğan said on Tuesday that, having embarked on an offensive against terrorism Turkey would not be backing off. He said he expected Nato to declare that it would take the necessary measures in support. | |
| “No steps back will be taken in our fight against terrorism. This is a process and it will continue with the same determination,” Erdoĝan said. | “No steps back will be taken in our fight against terrorism. This is a process and it will continue with the same determination,” Erdoĝan said. |
| The head of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic party (HDP), accused by Erdoğan of terror links, denied any wrongdoing and said his group faced punishment simply for its electoral success. | The head of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic party (HDP), accused by Erdoğan of terror links, denied any wrongdoing and said his group faced punishment simply for its electoral success. |
| “We have committed no unforgivable crimes. Our only crime was winning 13% of the vote,” party chairman Selahattin Demirtaş told his group in parliament. | |
| A fragile ceasefire began to fall apart after several Turkish police officers and soldiers were killed last week in attacks blamed on the PKK. Turkey retaliated with air strikes. | A fragile ceasefire began to fall apart after several Turkish police officers and soldiers were killed last week in attacks blamed on the PKK. Turkey retaliated with air strikes. |