German former Interior Minister Joschka Fischer spoke to Free Politics paper published in Frankfurt; “The Kurdish problem in Turkey must find a solution. If the process with clashes is terminated, Turkey will set an example for whole Middle East.”

“In my opinion, Turkey must solve the Kurdish problem because – to state it clearly - the train is derailing. This phase of conflict in the East part of Turkey must now come to an end. If this is achieved, Turkey will set an example, giving way to a development for the whole Middle East”, said Fischer and added that he sees the Kurdish and Iraq problems as parallel.

Fischer also pointed out that all contiguous countries will make use of the case in Iraq Kurdistan for the solution of the Kurdish problem in Turkey.

Fischer answered the question “Do you see any hope for the solution of deep seated problems like Israel-Palestine in Middle East and the Kurdish problem in Turkey?” as follows;

“I want to give you an example from Germany and Ireland. There was a big fight and grudge between Germany and France for nearly 300 years. My parents and grandparents would like to ìeat' French alive, while French also felt the same. However, after 300 years the two sides reached pacification. Likewise, Protestants and Catholics in the North of Ireland tried to kill and destroy each other for nearly 400 years but at last two separate sects formed the government together. I had never expected or presumed such a progression. Enemy sides always want to destroy on another. During the war, they try to kill the opponent either by themselves or through their leaders. Applied violence creates revenge feelings whose evidences and documents we see in history books. However, peace can come true only with your enemy although it made you suffer, provoked cruelty, hunger, torture and death. The powers that don’t see the existing situation or are not ready to create a peace ground will cause more tragedies, more deaths, more grudge and more revenge feelings.”

Translator: Berna Ozgencil