Turkey Live Coverage (9 July): The Syria and Kurdistan Situations

1700 GMT: Although one-fourth of the text required for a new constitution is drafted by the Parliament’s Constitutional Reconciliation Commission; BDP's Sirri Sureyya Onder, a member of the same commission, criticized the way articles are drafted:

Every article is started with 'national security', 'public order' or 'public morality'. We are weary of this! They are interspersing [these concepts] like a fertiliser. A constitution cannot be made like this!

1640 GMT: Turkish jets have been heading towards the northern Iraqi region from the districts of Semdinli and Cukurca of the southeastern province of Hakkari.

1545 GMT: Following the third judicial reform package, which was passed by Parliament last week, President Abdullah Gul spoke about the situation of jailed deputies:

Now courts will interpret the [newly] adopted laws. They will make their decisions [whether to release jailed deputies] in the light of the information and laws they hold in their hands.

1330 GMT: Speaking in the Southeastern province of Diyarbakir, BDP's co-chair Selahattin Demirtas criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government harshly. Demirtas said:

The state is acting immorally. Demanding the freedom of Mr. Ocalan [the imprisoned leader of PKK] is legitimate and lawful as well. After this, our people will be advocating the freedom of Mr. Ocalan with greater decisiveness! Until Mr. Ocalan gets his freedom, we will not put a single step back!

1300 GMT: The Turkish Foreign Ministry has denied reports in the Israeli media that Turkey voted against an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) resolution allowing the Palestinian authority to join the organization as an observer. Speaking to the Turkish daily Today's Zaman, a diplomat said:

It is true that the bid was rejected at the end of the meeting. But the Turkish delegation didn't vote against the bid. On the contrary, Turkey's attitude is positive.

1230 GMT: In response to questions as to whether the information shared by the Turkish side regarding the downing of its jet is correct, President Abdullah Gul said:

Read the statements made by our institutions after the downing of our jet again and think of the location where our jet was retrieved. There is a consistency in our statements.

Whoever has [any] documents, apart from this, should make them public.

Kurdish Front

Security forces have arrested 41 people in simultaneous operations in eight provinces. The detainees are accused of using forged documents to place "examination candidates" in various tests --- such as the State Personnel Examination (KPSS) and the Transition to Higher Education Examination (YGS) --= in order to help members of the outlawed Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) into important public positions.

After heavy clashes between Turkish forces and members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the Eastern province of Van on Sunday, which left one PKK member dead and one captured, the opposition Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) MP Sirri Sakik called on the government to find a quick solution to the Kurdish issue: "Unless Kurds are free and even if its cost is death, whoever bows down is ignoble."

Syria

Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said that despite ongoing examinations, there is still no sign of a land-to-air missile or another weapon that downed the Turkish jet fighter plane shot down by Syrian forces last month.

Chief of Staff Necdet Ozel claimed today that the plane was shot in international airspace. He said that Turkey did not aim to wage war on its own, waiting instead for the moves of other states, but assured, "You will see when we do!"