PM Erdoğan warns against ‘manipulation’

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

‘Let brotherhood prevail. Let our crescent and star prevail,’ Erdoğan says. AFP photo

Rumors and speculations over the ongoing peace process should not be credited, the Turkish prime minister has urged the people, underlining that the government will not take any steps that have not been approved by the people. 

“Turn a deaf ear to the rumors and speculation during this process. Do not pay attention to the fabricated claims or denigrations to scare and annoy you in this process,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in his monthly address to the Turkish people. Erdoğan’s remarks came in reaction to the Nationalist Movement Party’s (MHP) aggressive campaign against the process being carried out by the government to end terror in the country. The government’s decision to conduct negotiations with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, drew strong reactions from the opposition. 

“I want you to believe that this government will not take any step outside the national interest and legal framework,” he said. Describing the risk his party took during this process as walking on fire, Erdoğan said they were aware that any false step could hurt the responsibility they had on their shoulders. 

Erdoğan reiterated his promise that no step would be taken without the approval of the people. “Whoever might lose in this process, it won’t be our people,” he said. “We want this spring to be lasting. This spring should not turn into winter.”