Intel chief speaks of ‘İmralı process’

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

The fifth ambassadors’ conference of the Foreign Ministry will continue in Ankara and the Aegean province of İzmir until Jan 7. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin Sönmez

The undersecretary of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) informed ambassadors from across the globe yesterday of the ongoing efforts against the terrorist activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Although the main theme of MİT Undersecretary Hakan Fidan’s presentation during the fifth ambassadors’ conference of the Foreign Ministry was coordination between the two institutions in the fight against terror, the issue of contacts between officials and imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan eventually came to the forefront during the question and answer session.

“I cannot give technical information about the İmralı meeting due to my status as a public servant,” Fidan was quoted as saying by sources at the private meeting. “What I can explain within the framework of the law is: İmralı is one of the actors in this process. What needs to be done is being done. There is no exclusive situation about İmralı meetings. These kinds of meetings are held [throughout] the entire world,” Fidan said, noting that the ongoing process was not a new one.

Highlighting the significance of international cooperation against terror, Fidan criticized some countries for their lack of assistance, though he did not name any specifically.

Meanwhile, during a presentation to the ambassadors yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay presented the government’s action plan on how they would get PKK members lay down their arms, sources said.