Cross-border motion submitted

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

A government motion to extend cross-border operations against members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was introduced to Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek’s office yesterday.

“Terrorist attacks and the open threat that stems from PKK terror elements that have found refuge in the northern region of Iraq and which are directed against the Turkish people’s peace and security and against its country’s national unity, security and territorial integrity are continuing,” said the motion signed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

“Turkey attaches great importance to the preservation of Iraq’s territorial integrity, national unity and stability and continues successfully its military operations in order to provide an end to the PKK terrorists’ existence in northern Iraq and stop terrorist attacks to our country. It also continues its political and diplomatic attempts and warnings,” the motion read.

Parliament authorized cross-border military operations in 2007 and has extended the mandate each year since then. The motion, like previous ones, would authorize the government to determine the scale, scope and timing of military action in northern Iraq, where the PKK has its main bases.

Parliament’s General Assembly will discuss the motion on Oct. 4 as the current mandate expires Oct. 17.