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Foreign Minister Westerwelle on Abdullah Öcalan’s call for a cease-fire
Speaking today (21 March) in Berlin, Foreign Minister Westerwelle issued the following statement:
Abdullah Öcalan’s call for a cease-fire and a withdrawal of fighters is a big step towards more mutual trust. Concrete measures must now follow these announcements and the weapons must really be put aside.
That would create space for political agreements to end confrontation and violence for good and to take into account the concerns of Turkey’s Kurdish citizens in a legitimate fashion within the framework of the Turkish state.
We encourage the parties to pursue political talks and negotiations even when faced with resistance and to finally put an end to this long and bloody conflict.