|
EU executive urges more rights for Kurds
in Turkey
6.4.2006
|
|
|
|
STRASBOURG,
France, April 6 (Reuters) - The European Commission
and European lawmakers urged Turkey on Thursday to
grant Kurds more economic and cultural rights and
voiced concern over violence in the country's
southeast.
Sixteen people have been killed and more than 300
injured in street clashes since last week between
Kurdish protesters and police sparked by the
funerals of 14 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels
killed in clashes with troops.
"The (European) Commission is concerned about ...
the outburst of violence and terrorist attacks," EU
Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou told members of
the European Parliament.
Kyprianou, speaking on behalf of the EU executive,
recalled that the PKK was included in the bloc's
list of terrorist organisations but urged the
Turkish government to fulfill its commitments to
improve the rights of Kurds.
"We urge the Turkish government to address in a
comprehensive manner, and not only from a security
point of view, the problems of this region and of
its people," he said.
Ankara has lifted restrictions on the Kurdish
language and culture in recent years, hoping to
further its bid to join the 25-nation EU, but
critics say it needs to do much more.
More than 30,000 people have been killed in the
separatist conflict since the PKK took up arms
against the state in 1984 with the aim of carving
out an ethnic homeland in the mainly Kurdish
southeast of Turkey.
Turkey began membership talks with the EU last
October, and Kyprianou reminded Turkey that ensuring
cultural diversity was a condition for accession.
"The Turkish government should take action with a
view to enhancing and ensuring economic, social and
cultural opportunities for all Turkish citizens," he
said.
Kyprianou also called on Turkey to facilitate the
return of displaced Kurds to their region of origin
and stop deploying state-armed militiamen in
villages.
The protection of Kurds' rights is "an absolute
precondition for membership of the EU", said Emine
Bozkurt, of the European Parliament's Socialist
group.
"If violence ceases, then the tanks must leave the
streets of villages and towns of southeast Turkey,"
she said.
Several lawmakers also urged Turkey to engage into a
political dialogue with moderate Kurds.
Reuters
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 