Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Space Industry and Business News .




THE STANS
Turkish PM signals ramped-up efforts to boost Kurdish rights
by Staff Writers
Istanbul (AFP) Aug 08, 2013


Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said parliament could cut its summer recess short to vote on reforms aimed at increasing Kurdish rights, amid calls for the peace process to pick up speed.

The move comes as Kurdish rebels have grown increasingly impatient in recent weeks about the fragile peace efforts, urging the government to deliver promised reforms in return for withdrawing their fighters from Turkey.

Erdogan said lawmakers were working on laws to improve the minority group's democratic and political rights.

"My friends are now completing their work on these articles and God willing we will announce this democratisation package," he told reporters in comments broadcast on the private NTV television station.

"It's possible this will lead to an earlier than anticipated return of parliament."

Lawmakers normally return from their summer break on October 1.

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) last week set a September 1 deadline for Ankara to advance the peace process, warning that it would otherwise take unspecified action.

Turkish authorities have been in talks with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan since late 2012 for an end to the Kurdish conflict, which has cost some 45,000 lives since 1984.

Ocalan, serving a life sentence for treason and separatism, announced a historic ceasefire with the government in March.

As part of the truce, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organisation by Ankara and its Western allies -- agreed to withdraw its estimated 2,000 fighters from Turkey to their bases in northern Iraq.

In return, it has climbed down from its demands for independence and is now seeking wider constitutional rights for Turkey's 15 million Kurds, including more autonomy and a right to Kurdish-language education.

Lawmakers are also discussing lowering the electoral threshold and changes to anti-terror laws as part of the reform package to address Kurdish concerns, according to local media.

.


Related Links
News From Across The Stans






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








THE STANS
Pakistan rains kill 58, affect 66,000: officials
Islamabad (AFP) Aug 05, 2013
Monsoon rain and floods have killed at least 58 people across Pakistan and affected tens of thousands of others, officials said Monday, warning of more rain to come. "At least 58 people have died, more than 30 others were injured and 66,000 were affected by rain and flooding in Pakistan since July 31," Brigadier Mirza Kamran Zia, operations chief of the National Disaster Management Authority ... read more


THE STANS
New 'weird' material may be new class of solids, researchers say

Large Area Picosecond Photodetectors push timing envelope

Seeing depth through a single lens

Altering organic molecules' interaction with light

THE STANS
New Military Communications Satellite Built By Lockheed Martin Launches

US Navy Poised to Launch Lockheed Martin-Built Secure Communications Satellite for Mobile Users

Northrop Grumman Moves New B-2 Satellite Communications Concept to the High Ground

Canada links up on secure U.S. military telecoms network

THE STANS
Next Ariane 5 is readied to receive its dual-satellite payload

Russia to restart Proton rocket launches after crash

Japanese rocket takes supplies, robot to space station

SpaceX Awarded Launch Reservation Contract for Largest Canadian Space Program

THE STANS
Satellite tracking of zebra migrations in Africa is conservation aid

'Spoofing' attack test takes over ship's GPS navigation at sea

Orbcomm Globaltrak Completes Shipment Of Fuel Monitoring Solution In Afghanistan

Lockheed Martin GPS III Satellite Prototype To Help Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Prep For Launch

THE STANS
Chinese jetliner's first flight set back a year: state media

South Korea resumes bidding in jet fighter deal

Lockheed Martin to Offer Universal Mission Equipment Package for US Army Helicopters

Bahrain eyes Eurofighter: BAE

THE STANS
Speed limit set for ultrafast electrical switch

NRL Researchers Discover Novel Material for Cooling of Electronic Devices

Nanotechnology breakthrough is big deal for electronics

Broadband photodetector for polarized light

THE STANS
Lockheed Completes Solar UV Imager For GOES-R Enviro Tests

GOES-R Satellite Magnetometer Boom Deployment Successful

NASA's Van Allen Probes Discover Particle Accelerator in the Heart of Earth's Radiation Belts

Seeing Photosynthesis from Space: NASA Scientists Use Satellites to Measure Plant Health

THE STANS
Pollution blamed for drop in Beijing tourism: state media

Poisoned dumpling trial held in China

Thai firm understating oil slick fallout: Greenpeace

Oil spill hits Thai tourist island




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement