Erdogan rules out meeting with DTP members unless they call the PKK a terrorist group

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said he would not meet with officials from the Democratic Society Party (DTP) unless they call the PKK a terrorist group. At a joint press conference alongside Ralph Gonsalves, his visiting counterpart from the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Erdogan said that he had urged Gonsalves to support Izmir's bid to host the Expo 2015 and Turkey's candidacy for a temporary seat on the UN Security Council. For his part, Gonsalves said the people of his country support Turkey's bid. Asked if members of the pro-Kurdish DTP had sought a meeting with him, Erdogan said yes, and that he had assigned senior members of his party and government to speak with DTP parliamentary group leader Ahmet Turk and DTP Diyarbakir Deputy Aysel Tugluk on his behalf. Saying that as prime minister he could not meet with DTP officials unless they call the PKK a terrorist group, he added that he couldn't accept a party in Parliament refusing to call the PKK what it is.