The prime minister had earlier vowed that “terrorism would not make Turkey part ways with democracy and the law.” MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli said those in Turkey who emphasized a “political solution” to Turkey’s fight with terrorism were trying to “break Turkey’s resolve in the fight against terrorism by letting the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK] arguments and demands be discussed.”
“Those who have the greatest responsibility in fighting against terrorism are the prime minister and the Justice and Development Party [AK Party] government, who apparently do not have the necessary resolve to fight terrorism but instead pursue a political direction to try and look ‘cute’ in the eyes of separatists,” Bahçeli stated.

The Taraf daily, which criticized the weakness of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) following a deadly PKK attack that killed 17 soldiers on Oct. 3, and President Abdullah Gül, who confessed Turkey had “discriminated against Kurds in the past” while talking to a German magazine last week, were also targets for Bahçeli’s harsh criticism yesterday.

Bahçeli accused Taraf, which printed satellite images and confidential security status reports of the military as evidence of military intelligence units’ awareness of the PKK attack, of blackmailing the General Staff. He said Gül’s statement made to Germany’s Der Spiegel was “unacceptable,” adding, “We would have expected the president to show the courage and will to step in and do something about Turkey’s wrongly delineated maps drawn by separatists on the bottom floor of the fair,” referring to the Frankfurt Book Fair, one of the most important cultural events of Europe, which has Turkey as its guest of honor this year. Gül was in Germany visiting the Frankfurt Fair when he spoke to Der Spiegel.

Bahçeli also accused the government of standing close to the “heart of betrayal,” referring to Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani. “Recent developments show that the source and administration of terrorism can be traced back to Barzani. The government’s approach that accepts Barzani as an Iraqi counterpart is a consequence [of terrorism]. Instead of using force and supporting diplomatic measures to make its enemies toe the line, the government has approached the center of separatism, the heart of betrayal,” which he said was tantamount to treason.

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