Statement: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu / Pro-Kurdish leader warns of Turkey being dragged into civil war

Remarks by the President of the European Council Donald Tusk after his meeting with Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu on 10 September 2015, in Ankara.

Disturbed by recent violence in Turkey that included an escalation in clashes between security forces and the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the president of the European Council called on Ankara to put the peace process back on track.

As Mr Tusk visited Turkey, HDP leader Selahattin Demirtaş warned the country was being dragged into a 'civil war' ahead of November 2015 parliamentary elections, following a wave of attacks on its offices by nationalists.

Turkey's interior ministry said on the 10 September 2015 that at least 30 people had died in clashes in the Turkish city of Cizre since a military operation began there the previous week.

Also on the 10 September 2015 Turkish officials stopped a group of pro-Kurdish members of parliament from entering Cizre. Lawmakers claimed some 21 civilians have been killed in a government military operation there.

ESO: Background information: Turkey polls loom as coalition talks collapse http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkey-polls-loom-as-coalition-talks-collapse-turkish-president-erdogan-announces-snap-general-election/

EurActiv, 10.09.15: Pro-Kurdish leader warns of Turkey being dragged into civil war http://www.euractiv.com/sections/enlargement/pro-kurdish-leader-warns-turkey-being-dragged-civil-war-317514

The Guardian, 09.09.15: [Opinion] Turkey cannot deal with the refugee crisis alone. EU nations need to help http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/09/turkey-refugee-crisis-christian-fortress-europe

European Council: Press Release, 09.09.15: Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/09/09-tusk-remarks-turkey-president-erdogan/

ESO: Background information: Turkey’s war against the Kurds threatens to create turmoil both inside and outside the country http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkeys-war-against-the-kurds-threatens-to-create-turmoil-both-inside-and-outside-the-country/

ESO: Background information: Turkish general election, November 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkish-general-election-1-november-2015/

Today's Zaman, 10.09.15: European Council president calls on Turkey to revive peace process http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_european-council-president-calls-on-turkey-to-revive-peace-process_398791.html

Today's Zaman, 10.09.15: HDP’s Zana threatens hunger strike if killings don’t stop http://www.todayszaman.com/national_hdps-zana-threatens-hunger-strike-if-killings-dont-stop_398749.html

BBC News, 10.09.15: Turkey Kurds: 30 dead in Cizre violence as MPs' march blocked http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34206924

Deutsche Welle, 10.09.15: Turkey bars pro-Kurdish lawmakers besieged town of Cizre http://dw.com/p/1GUkX

France24, 10.09.15: ‘Turkey in latent civil war’: Erdogan’s dangerous game http://www.france24.com/en/20150910-turkey-nascent-civil-war-conflict-kurds-pkk-militants-snap-parliamentary-elections

Agos, 11.09.15: Turkey must recognised Kurds' suffering (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE169625-Turkey-must-recognised-Kurds-suffering

Deutsche Welle, 09.09.15: Turkey election 'becoming impossible' as ceasefire collapses http://dw.com/p/1GTkL

EurActiv, 28.09.15: Turkish opposition leader: Erdogan seeks a single party government http://www.euractiv.com/sections/enlargement/turkish-opposition-leader-erdogan-seeks-single-party-government-317991

---