Security council discusses Syrian crisis and PKK terror

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

The National Security Meeting (MGK) was held in Ankara on Oct 19. AA photo

Turkey’s top security board said “land, naval and air activities” around Turkey had been reviewed at a meeting on Oct. 19. The statmenet came after Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel completed an inspection of the troops on the Syrian border and the navy.

Terrorist attacks launched by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the crisis involving Turkey’s neighbor Syria were key items at a meeting of the National Security Council (MGK).

“The terrorist actions and operations successfully launched by our security forces and measures taken and which still need to be taken against these [actions] were discussed,” a statement released following the meeting said.

The probable impacts of the developments in Syria on Turkey as well as measures for providing border security were also discussed, according to the statement. “Our determination on taking and implementing all measures on the basis of international law and in order to provide protection of our citizens in the most effective way has one more been expressed,” it said. The statement also noted that “land, naval and air activities” around Turkey had been reviewed.

Bilateral relations between Turkey and Iraq were another item on the agenda of the meeting. The situation in Egypt and Libya, which is “very important in regards to regional peace and stability,” was dealt with during the meeting, with a highlight on the significance of showing solidarity with these countries for overcoming of current problems in these countries. The MGK also reviewed challenges regarding cyber-security.