ANKARA
Turkey deems the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as a terrorist organization and we have no collaboration with it, said Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay on Tuesday.
Turkey's souteastern neighbor Iraq has seen a marked escalation in tension as a coalition of armed opposition groups led by ISIL have taken control of large swathes of Iraq's predominantly Sunni provinces. The militants released 32 Turkish truck drivers after 23 days of captivity in Iraq's second largest city Mosul, but still the 49 Turkish consulate staff members abducted since June 11 have not been released.
Atalay spoke during a plenary session at the Turkish Parliament over a draft bill to rekindle an ongoing government initiative to end terrorism and improve minority rights.
If passed in the parliament, the six-article "Draft Law to End Terrorism and Strengthen Social Integration" would authorize the government to assign individuals or organizations to establish dialogue with any individual or group related with the issue.
He also rebuffed claims that Turkish security forces had left the field supremacy over to the outlawed PKK terrorist organization during the solution process, and said, on the contrary, the existing troop numbers have been boosted since then.
Atalay assured that security forces are always poised ready -- as ordered -- to intervene if any incident which could undermine the solution process in the southeastern region of the country.
Turkey's 'solution process' began early last year with a ceasefire between the Turkish government and outlawed PKK terrorist organization.
The government pledged democratic reforms to empower minorities, particularly the Kurdish people, which is by far the largest forming 18 percent of the population.
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