No doubt YPG-PKK behind Ankara bombing: Turkish PM

ANKARA

AA photo

It is “crystal clear” that the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the militia of Syria’s Democratic Union Party (PYD), and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) jointly staged the car bomb attack that killed 29 people in the capital Ankara on Feb. 17, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has stated. 

Speaking to his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies on Feb. 23, Davutoğlu stressed that his conviction was supported by “loud and clear evidence.”

He said the YPG was taking orders from the PKK and said that blaming the PKK for the attack was simply an attempt to “exonerate the YPG.” 

“The evidence is very loud and clear. There is a crystal clear truth out in the open. This incident was planned and carried out by the PKK and the YPG in cooperation … No matter what its name or title is, we must stand together against these terrorist organizations,” Davutoğlu said.

“Some are pointing to the PKK only to exonerate the YPG. They wanted a sub organization of the PKK to claim this attack, so that the YPG and the PYD would be able to continue having international support,” he added, also claiming that pro-PKK/PYD circles manipulated photographs of the perpetrator of the attack through Photoshop.

Davutoğlu also suggested that Russia and Syria aim to establish a “terrorist structure,” made up of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the U.S.-backed YPG, in Syria’s north.

“But Turkey is aware of these games that aim to make Turkey a neighbor with a terrorist structure and will not allow it,” he stated.

As of Feb. 19, the little-known Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a group linked to the PKK, claimed responsibility for the Ankara attack, saying it was revenge for military operations in southeast Turkey. The group also warned foreign tourists not to visit the country. 

The PKK says the TAK is a splinter group over which it has no control.


‘AKP determined to forge new charter with or without main opposition’


Meanwhile, the prime minister also addressed attempts to write a new Turkish constitution, vowing that his AKP remains determined to forge a new constitution. He said the inter-party parliamentary commission that collapsed last week after the opposition walked out should continue its work, while also expressing willingness to proceed without the participation of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

“I’m calling on all our political parties, the CHP first of all: Come and let’s immediately form a joint commission aimed at eliminating all antidemocratic provisions in our laws and circulars, whether or not they were adopted during coup years or not. Immediately and directly, let’s form it today,” Davutoğlu said.
“Of course, we’d prefer to draft the new constitution with a high level of representation by joining all four parties. But if the CHP abstains from joining the commission, we believe a new constitution that Turkey needs can be drafted by a commission formed with the other two parties. Such a constitution will not have any deficit with regard to legitimacy,” he added.

However, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli underlined the drawbacks of drafting a new charter without the participation of the CHP.

“For us, attempting to write the constitution without having the main opposition present is definitely unfavorable. So we should secure the CHP’s presence at the table through persuasion. If not, the preparation of the constitution would be stillborn,” Bahçeli said on Feb. 23.

“We hope the CHP leaves its irreconcilable attitude and takes an initiative for the resumption of the constitution-making process at once,” he added.

Last week, the AKP and CHP traded accusations over the dissolution of the inter-party parliamentary panel tasked with drafting a new constitution after just three sessions last week. The CHP left the table on Feb. 16, complaining that the ruling party had tried to link all issues to changing Turkey from a parliamentary system to a presidential system.

“If our political parties cannot reach a consensus on the new constitution despite all of these sincere calls and good-intended efforts, then we will still be determined to fulfill our pledge for a new constitution, which we gave to our nation,” Davutoğlu said on Feb. 23.