Peter Stano, spokesman for the Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy European Commission has expressed the concern of the Commission for the ongoing detentions in Turkey. The international community has been watching with concern the developments of the so called KCK (Kurdish Communities Union) operation.

"The Commission - said Stano - is very concerned about the detention of numerous journalists since Tuesday [20 December] in the framework of the ongoing KCK investigation".

While underlining the "Commission's full solidarity with Turkey in its struggle against terrorism,- added the spokesman - we stress once more that such a struggle must be carried out in full respect of fundamental rights and freedoms. Both the Turkish anti-terror legislation and its interpretation raise concerns in this respect".

Stano then added that "The solution to the Kurdish issue and to all the problems in the Southeast can only be attained through the widest possible contribution of all democratic forces, and an open and frank public discussion that can be conducted with full respect of basic fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression, freedom of association and/ or freedom of assembly".

It is in this context that the commission expressed "the hope that the announced cooperation between the Turkish Ministry of Justice and the Council of Europe on freedom of expression will prove successful in improving the situation".