Turkish PM urges burying guns, not youths

Ayşegül Usta ISTANBUL

AA Photo

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu urged people to bury guns in the ground instead of youths, referring to the decades-old conflict between the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Turkey, at a spring festival organized by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Istanbul on March 21.

Davutoğlu called for the sorrows of all mothers to be buried in the ground, marking the significance of unity and brotherhood throughout his speech.

“Nevruz means a new beginning. But, we have to build three principles while comprehending Nevruz, which are unity, amity and brotherhood,” he said, adding the Justice and Development Party (AKP) celebrates the spring as good news for humanity.

Davutoğlu also emphasized the peace process will succeed, despite the intrigues over the past 12 years.

“The solution process will definitely succeed no matter what happens. Nevruz is a festival of all humanity. We say that Nevruz is the festival of Turks, Kurds, Persians and all ancient nations,” said Davutoğlu, likening the diversity of society to a dense forest.

Although he did not directly refer to Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, Davutoğlu added the peace process had arrived at “an important phase.”

“The big picture tells us that Turks and Kurds are brothers and sisters and will remain so ... Nobody should make the process serve as a tool in daily politics,” he said.