03/04/2013 15:08
Turkologist: Erdogan needs Kurds’ support for his election
“2013 and 2014 are going to be eventful years for Turkey because new developments are expected in Kurdish-Turkish relations, taking into account the famous statement by Abdullah Ocalan,” Turkologist Artak Shakarian said at the meeting with reporters today. He discussed the domestic and foreign challenges facing Turkey.
Shakarian said Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan intends to become president, he needs Kurds’ support and for that reason he wants to make peace with the Kurds.
“Ocalan for his part understands that an armed struggle against Turkey is not very efficient today and he wants to achieve the autonomy of Kurdish-populated areas and improve the conditions of Kurds in Turkey’s Kurdish-populated provinces,” the speaker noted.
In his words, regional developments have an impact on the domestic developments within Turkey.
“Turkey and Israel have reached an agreement and started improving their relationship, while Obama wants Turkey and Israel to establish an alliance against Iran,” Shakarian said.
According to him, both Turkey and Israel are concerned over the possible use of chemical weapons by Syria, and in this sense the interests of Ankara and Tel-Aviv coincide.