Turkey

Commenting on the Turkish air strikes on Islamic State and Kurdish territories and in the context of today's NATO meeting, Greens/EFA president Rebecca Harms said:

"It is alarming that Turkish president Erdogan is seeking renewed confrontation with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), with his opportunistic strikes on Kurdish territories. He is seemingly fulfilling the concerns expressed by the Turkish opposition, on his intentions to end the peace process; trying to win back power by stoking fear and insecurity among the Turkish public. This escalation will not help to address the threat of Islamic State and will undermine Turkey's internal progress towards peace and democracy.

"Today's meeting is an important and overdue opportunity to ensure the Turkish government pursues a responsible strategy against Islamic State. This should have taken place long before the terrible attack in Suruc. Turkey's NATO partners and EU foreign policy high representative Morgherini must make clear to the Turkish government that the attacks on Kurds are unacceptable. They must also acknowledge the important engagement by Kurdish forces against ISIS, whilst making clear that both sides in Turkey must uphold the peace process.

"The proposals by the Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for a political and peaceful solution must be supported. HDP leader Demirtash needs all possible support for this. In the context of today's statement by Erdogan that the peace process has ended, NATO and the EU must exert pressure to ensure this is not another self-fulfilling prophecy and that there is a renewed impetus to the peace process. The PKK must also be made to accept a non-violent solution along the lines proposed by the HDP. These proposals have support across the Turkish opposition. The reasonable demand to end the detention of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan remains important to ensuring the negotiations have a chance at success."