1. All Stories
  2. Politics
  3. Economy
  4. World
  5. Nuclear
  6. Society/Culture
  7. Space/Science
  8. Sports
  9. Tourism
  10. Other Media
  11. Videos
  12. Photos
  13. Cartoons
  14. Interview
    • فارسی
    • عربی
    • Türkçe
    • עברית
    • Pусский
  • RSS
  • Telegram
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • All Stories
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Nuclear
  • Society/Culture
  • Space/Science
  • Sports
  • Tourism
  • Other Media
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Cartoons
  • Interview

Erdogan Demands Support against PKK at NATO Meeting

  • November, 21, 2016 - 16:53
  • Other Media news
Erdogan Demands Support against PKK at NATO Meeting

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Monday urged the European Union and West to step up backing of Ankara's fight against Kurdish militants, as he addressed a meeting of NATO lawmakers.

Other Media

Erdogan said he expected the support of NATO countries in Turkey's fight against "all terror groups" including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Daesh (ISIL) and the group blamed by Ankara for the failed July 15 coup.

He called on the European Union to tighten its approach to the PKK, which Brussels designates as a terror group but whose members, according to Erdogan, are allowed to roam freely within the bloc.

"Those who have a hesitant attitude against terrorist organisations will be hit themselves sooner or later," he said in a speech to deputies at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, AFP reported.

Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952 but its bid to join the European Union has been further set back by disputes over the magnitude of its crackdown in the wake of the coup.

Erdogan had at the weekend mooted that Turkey could join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a security and economic bloc led by Russia and China sometimes seen as an eastern counterpart to NATO.

But he did not refer to this in his speech in Istanbul to the NATO meeting.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg meanwhile emphasized the alliance's "solidarity" with Turkey in the wake of the coup and said Ankara "has the right" to prosecute those responsible.

Pressed by a Dutch lawmaker to condemn the crackdown that has seen over 35,000 arrested, Stoltenberg said he had told Turkish leaders all measures had to be taken within the rule of law.

He said he welcomed cooperation between Turkey and the Council of Europe over the legal measures after the coup, saying this should be an "important tool" to ensure the rule of law and human rights are applied.

Stoltenberg also made no reference to Turkish officers serving in NATO command posts who he had said last week had asked for asylum following the failed coup.

Meanwhile, he added he wanted to see "more assurance measures" from NATO states to help Turkey on its unstable borders, in addition to the current surveillance flights and deployment of missile batteries on the Syrian frontier.

 
R36444/P42329
Read more
Turkey Could Carry Out Ground Operations against PKK in Iraq: FM
Turkey Kills 4 PKK Militants in North Iraq: Sources
Turkish Warplanes Pound 10 PKK Targets Overnight
Turkish Airstrikes Kill 3 PKK Militants in Southeast Turkey: Military
tasnim
tasnim
tasnim
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Most Visited
  • Archive
Follow Us:
  • RSS
  • Telegram
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook

All Content by Tasnim News Agency is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.