Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 May / Trend, A. Tag Hiyeva /
The withdrawal of the members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party from Turkey is a major issue for the country, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, TRT Haber reported on Tuesday.
According to him, it is hard to name any precise date for the withdrawal of PKK members from Turkey.
"PKK militants will return to where they came from. It is impossible to say when exactly this is going to happen. The most important thing for Turkey is the withdrawal of militants from the country," Erdogan said.
Imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan has previously called on members of the organization to lay down their arms and leave the country.
Turkish authorities in turn promised that all PKK militants that have laid down their weapons will be afforded a safe departure from the country. According to some Turkish media outlets, the withdrawal of the PKK militants from Turkey will begin on May 8.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK over an independent Kurdish state has lasted for over 25 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the European Union.