Turkey: No new 'resolution process' planned

By Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) – The Turkish government has no new “resolution process” planned, a presidential spokesman said on Friday.

In early 2013, under then-Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish government launched an initiative publicly known as the resolution process to end the decades-old conflict with the PKK, whose terrorist campaign has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people over 30 years.

The process stalled in 2015 after the murder of a number of police officers and soldiers, which the PKK claimed responsibility for.

In a written statement, spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said: "There is no subject such as a new resolution process [...] on the president's agenda."

Kalin continued: “The president has exerted great efforts during both his prime ministry and presidency for all the citizens of the Republic of Turkey to live as individuals with equal rights.

“He rejected all forms of distinctions based on religion and ethnicity and showed this through his concrete actions.”

“Our Kurdish brothers, just like all individuals, are equal citizens of the Republic of Turkey.”

Kalin added that the determined fight against the terrorist PKK’s cruelty and oppression would continue.