Political Leaders, Except DTP's, Support Armed Response

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, in the group meeting of his party, that they were planning to accept the demand by of the security forces to restrict the personal rights to make the search and questioning procedures simpler.

He also added that the march to democracy in Turkey will continue without any step back.

The Prime Minister also repeated that the letter of permission to the armed forces to conduct operations in the northern Iraq is a right recognized by the international agreements and that the civilians are not hurt in the military operations.

He also stated that the development projects in the eastern Turkey are disturbing the Kurdish workers Party (PKK).

Gül: Armed struggle

Talking to the journalists before leaving for his visit to Finland, President Abdullah Gül said, “We will fight with weapons against those who face us with weapons, but our belief in democracy will continue.”

Talking about the restriction of the personal rights, Gül said that the new measures may have been taken. He also said that he might visit Iraq.

Baykal: We must move into Northern Iraq

President of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deniz Baykal said that Turkey should make sure that Northern Iraq is not the bedrock of the terrorist activities.

Baykal also criticized the Democratic Society Party (DTP) by saying, “We explained the whole world the Aktütün attack was a terrorist act, but not those among us.”

Türk: Let us meet and search for solution

President of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) Ahmet Türk said, “If we could have passed in the parliament not the letter of permission for operations in the northern Iraq, but the laws for peace, our young people would not die.”

Türk also emphasized that “the Democratic Autonomy” program could have solved the problem. He also said that they were facing pressures such as the closure case for producing alternative solutions against pro-war solutions. He stressed that the letter of permission would not bring any solution and called upon the political parties in the Parliament to come up with solutions.

Bahçeli: Let us move into Northern Iraq and declare state of emergency (OHAL)

President of the National Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli stated that the armed forces should move into Northern Iraq and form a secured buffer zone. However, he also emphasized that the problem could not be solved only with the military means; the social, political and cultural measures had to be taken.

Calling for the state of emergency, Bahçeli proposed that Turkey show its reaction to the administration of Northern Iraq. He also said that his party was going to say yes to extend the period for the letter of permission for the Turkish Armed Forces to have operations in Northern Iraq. He also mentioned that they were concerned that the ethnic provocations may lead to clashes between Kurds and Turks. (EÜ/TB)