Atalay: "Govt will take courageous democratic steps to solve the Kurdish issue"

The government will take bold, determined steps to solve the Kurdish question, Interior Minister Besir Atalay told reporters in Ankara yesterday, adding that the issue would be solved through further democratization and expansion of rights. At a press conference on government plans for comprehensive civilian measures to address the issue, Atalay said the problem can only be solved by expanding democratic rights and ensuring that all citizens feel like free, equal members of the Republic of Turkey. Stating that they expect everyone to help solve the issue, Atalay said that they would continue working to include everyone in the process. "Now I'm calling on all our political parties, intellectuals, writers, non-governmental organizations, labor unions, academics, media representatives, journalists and political actors: Come and participate in this process," he said. "We say let's solve this problem together, as it has exacted a heavy toll on our nation, stolen food from our tables, and jeopardized our future." He added that the government is open to suggestions, and that they would be visiting all political parties and sectors of society in the days to come to seek contributions and support for the process. Atalay said all walks of society, ranging from political parties to NGOs, should show a positive approach to overcoming the terrorism problem through social consensus, adding that the government wants to seize this opportunity to solve the issue. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently announced that the government has a new initiative to deal with the Kurdish issue, implemented and coordinated by the Interior Ministry. Atalay said all state agencies have reached agreement on the best method to eradicate terrorism. "What we are trying to do is to lay the necessary groundwork for that," he explained. "The government has shown many times before today that we support a solution." He said the planned steps would be a continuation of earlier government policies, but with a new spin. "This can be seen as a new stage," Atalay said. Stressing that the government is working to address the uniqueness of Turkey and the realities of Turkey's people, Atalay said, "We have confidence in Turkey and the Turkish people." The government hopes its model sets an example for the world, he added. Atalay also said the government expects the media to support the planned package of measures, adding that the process would be handled cautiously and with great care, and that the details of the planned measures would not be announced prematurely. The government's work on the issue is not tied to a certain date or deadline, he added. "We want to manage the process without rushing. Our work on the process hasn't just started," he said.