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Turkish gov't, Kurds prepare "joint statement" over progress on peace process

Xinhua, February 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Turkish government and Kurds are preparing a "joint statement" on progress of the "peace process," Turkish daily Hurriyet reported on Saturday.

The statement, "which is the most critical stage that have been reached on the peace process," will be made to the public after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan approve it, said the report.

Vice Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan and Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) delegation, the representative on the Kurdish side, held a two-day negotiation to prepare the statement, said the report.

It's an intensive shuttle negotiations traffic in the past days between the government representatives including Vice Premier Akdogan, Interior Minister Efkan Ala and jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party PKK and the PKK leadership located in northern Iraq, according to the report.

If the PKK leadership in northern Iraq approves the text of joint statement, a government delegation, PDP representatives and Ocalan will have another meeting.

A delegation of PDP went to northern Iraq on Friday and President Erdogan returned to Turkey on the same day from his Latin America tour, one day ahead of his plan.

Turkish authorities began their peace negotiations with the PKK in October 2012, which led to a cease-fire in March 2013, but PKK fighters returned to their northern Iraq strongholds in May last year. Endit