Turkey Live Coverage (7 June): Politics and Pressure over the Kurdistan Talks

1740 GMT: Following the Global Counter- Terrorism Forum, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said regarding Turkey's fight against PKK: 

With respect to our fight against terrorism, we work very closely together, and in fact, we are learning every week how we can be more closely knit together to cooperate and to support Turkey’s fight against the PKK. I will not discuss potential arms transfers that have not been formally notified to Congress, but I will say that the extensive assistance that we currently provide is going to intensify through closer cooperation and planning, and both the foreign minister and I are committed to making sure both of our governments are as focused and coordinated as we can be going against those that threaten Turkey and Turkish lives.

 I think I’ve said it on every trip to Turkey – the United States stands strongly with Turkey in your fight against the PKK whose long campaign of violence has claimed tens of thousands of lives. 

1535 GMT: Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu criticized the silence of countries who haven’t spoken out against the Assad regime so far and underlined, once again, the significance of an international consensus. He said:

From Turkey’s perspective, there is instability on the border between Turkey and Syria. The Assad regime does not create stability: On the contrary, Assad’s methods destroy the stability in the region. 

The international community should act unanimously to stop the oppression and atrocities.

Turkey will continue its inclusive activities to strengthen the opposition in Syria.

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Turkey Live Coverage (6 June): Erdogan Chides Israel; A Meeting on the Kurdish Issue

See also Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: The Spread of the Conflict

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1900 GMT: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has landed in Istanbul. Clinton is going to be attending the Global Counter-terrorism Forum on Thursday with the attendance of other 28 foreign ministers.

1830 GMT: BDP's deputy Aysel Tugluk said:

Prime Minister should know that no solution can be developed by denying PKK and Mr. Ocalan and we will not be in such a solution. We are calling on the state to be more reasonable.

1745 GMT: The first reaction from Peace and Democracy Party comes. BDP's deputy Ahmet Tan said that they were ready to negotiate even without the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Tan also added that they received no official demand from other parties to sit on the table. 

1710 GMT: The meeting between Prime Minister Erdogan and CHP's leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu ended. Without explaining the content, CHP Deputy Chairmen Faruk Loğoğlu said the meeting was “positive” and “productive,” adding that officials from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) underlined that the contribution of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is key to moving forward with establishing a commission composed of all four parties in Parliament.

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