Speaking on CNN Türk on Friday night Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said PKK militants withdrawing from Turkey will have to lay down their arms before crossing the border. This, he addeed, to prevent further confrontation.
Erdoğan added that "perhaps these militants will go to Iraq, perhaps to Syria, or perhaps to Europe, particularly the Scandinavian countries. I cannot know that. What’s important to me is peace in my country. The thing I know is that when they go, the atmosphere of my country will change when we realize the economic boom in the east of the country”.
The prime minister insisted that the BDP "is perceived as the political affiliation of the terrorist organization. To overcome this - he added - arms have to be laid down and the struggle has to be made in politics”.
He went on strongly denying claims that Kurdish leader Öcalan could be freed or moved to house detention.