Gul: "The terrorist PKK is doomed to failure"

Speaking to reporters yesterday before leaving for a D-8 summit in Nigeria, President Abdullah stressed the importance of Turkey's anti-terrorist efforts. "The fight against terrorism is Turkey's number one issue," he said. "This is a comprehensive issue with dimensions in foreign policy, security forces fighting terrorism in the field, and economic and social aspects." Stating that the terrorist PKK has benefited from the power vacuum in northern Iraq, Gul said Turkey is making progress towards stronger cooperation with the northern Iraqi regional administration against the PKK, but declined to give details, as doing so could harm the process. Reiterating Turkey's determination to fight terrorism, Gul said, "Turkey will never make concessions to terrorism." He called for the international community to give stronger support to Turkey's counter-terror activities, saying that doing so is everyone's duty. On the PKK's stepped-up terrorist campaign against Turkish security forces in recent weeks, Gul said, "As the terrorist group has imagined itself to be very strong, it has taken major blows and will continue this. A comprehensive fight is being waged against terrorism." Expressing deep regret at the members of Turkish security forces slain in recent PKK attacks, Gul added, "These attacks will get the terrorist group nowhere, but it will instead hit the wall and burn itself out."