Turkey's foreign minister says some MEPs backing PKK

ANKARA

Some members of the European Parliament have sympathy with the PKK and support its ideology, Turkey’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference with the Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “If you support the same ideology [as the PKK], if it requires terrorism, then go to the mountain [referring to the PKK’s Qandil Mountain base in Iraq].”

Cavusoglu said there should be a difference drawn between politicians and terrorists.

Referring to a recent meeting of EU foreign ministers, Cavusoglu said Turkey also expected a fair approach from rapporteurs and European bodies.

“They should consider Turkey an equal partner,” he said, adding: “We want to get results now.”

On Nov. 24, the European Parliament approved a non-binding motion to freeze EU-membership talks with Turkey, in response to post-coup investigations and recent developments in the country including measures taken to fight against the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July last year. More than 300 civilians and nearly 800 security personnel since have been martyred. Approximately 8,000 PKK terrorists have been killed or apprehended.

Aleppo situation

Cavusoglu said Turkey had been making great efforts to stop persecution in Aleppo and Syria and in this regard had continued its diplomatic contacts with Iran, Russia and other countries.

Since Nov. 15, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed in eastern Aleppo in attacks by Syrian regime and Russian warplanes, local sources have reported.

The fierce bombardments have forced most of the city’s hospitals to halt operations, while most academic activities have been indefinitely suspended.

“Civilian people especially need to be evacuated from here, [and] a truce must be provided. Hospitals are particularly targeted so people cannot be medically treated. So we could see the most cruel, persecuted and ruthless dimensions of human history in Aleppo.

"The regime and its supporters are responsible for it. Even wounded people are not allowed to go out. People are hungry, humanitarian aid is blocked,” Cavusoglu said.

Czech Republic supports for Turkish democracy

Czech Republic Foreign Minister Zaoralek expressed his condolences to Turkey for those martyred in the Saturday terrorist attacks in Istanbul.

Referring also to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO, which is believed to have organized the coup attempt in Turkey, he said the Czech Republic was one of the first counties to condemn the July 15 violence.

“These attacks were certainly against Turkey's parliamentary system and its freedom. From the very first moment, we supported democratically elected MPs, parliaments, institutions and organizations. We expressed our happiness on the failure of this coup attempt,” he said.

FETO, led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, is believed to have organized July’s attempted military takeover in Turkey, which left over more than 240 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Reporting by Meltem Bulur and Ecenur Colak; Writing by Hatice Kesgin;