Erdogan reiterates commitment to settlement process

Speaking at a fast-breaking dinner held for martyrs' families in Ankara on Tuesday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his commitment to the settlement process aimed at solving the Kurdish issue in Turkey. Erdogan said there were attempts to derail the ongoing settlement process, but that his government would negate such efforts in a determinant way.  "This is not a give-and-take, or a negotiation process. We will fight for the future of our country and the honor of our flag, until eternity if necessary. But we want a society where living and keeping people alive prevails, instead of dying and killing," Erdogan said. Underlining that that no soldier had died during an open confrontation since the start of the process seven months ago, Erdogan said, "Isn't it what we want, what we are expecting? We will fight against terrorism and relieving the hearts of mothers and fathers is also our duty." Erdogan also reiterated his claims that ongoing plots in the region aimed to weaken Turkey and once again accused an interest rate lobby of supporting these plots.