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PKK threatens Europe too: Erdogan

Türkiye Materials 24 June 2010 06:30 (UTC +04:00)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says some European countries are not doing enough to support Turkey's campaign against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
PKK threatens Europe too: Erdogan

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says some European countries are not doing enough to support Turkey's campaign against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Press TV reported.

"Some European countries have not given the necessary support to Turkey in its struggle against terrorism for a long time," Erdogan said at a meeting of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Istanbul on Wednesday.

"Despite all the pain we have been through and the bloody attacks on civilians and security forces, today, there are countries which have not cut financial support to the terrorist organization, which have turned a blind eye to its activities and its propaganda, and which have not extradited any criminals to Turkey," dpa quoted Erdogan as saying.

"Most of our European friends declared the PKK to be a terrorist organization. That is good, but declaring the PKK to be a terrorist organization does not put an end to the matter. How many terrorists have you extradited to us of those you have detained?" he added.

"The terrorist organization is as harmful to Turkey and its innocent civilians and security forces as it is to the Balkan states and the European states," the Anatolia news agency quoted Erdogan as saying.

"It is not just a terrorist organization but it is also an organized crime organization, and it targets the youth in European and Balkan states through drug trafficking," he stated.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community, took up arms in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed some 45,000 lives.

Over 40 Turkish soldiers have been killed in PKK attacks over the past few months.

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