DURAN KALKAN : NO WITHDRAWAL – “WE WANT AN ANSWER”!

QANDIL  – Nuce TV / Mesop – 14.4.2013 – :  Answering to journalist Cahit Mervan on Nuçe TV on Friday evening, PKK leader and Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council member Duran Kalkan said the withdrawal of the PKK guerrilla forces was out of question at present.

“Our forces are in ceasefire and self defense position, – Kalkan said – watching the progress made by the current process”. In response to the recently intensifying allegations on the withdrawal, Kalkan added, “The guerrillas took to the mountain and took up arms because they had a purpose and to struggle for their lives. Leader Apo demands freedom, the beginning of the solution process of the Kurdish question, recognition of the Kurdish identity and treatment of Kurds in a fair and equal manner. It will be difficult to convince guerrilla forces to withdrawal unless they get an answer to these demands”.

Kalkan also pointed out that jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan should be put in direct contact with guerrillas to enable the withdrawal.

“Our guerrilla forces – said Kalkan – are maintaining their ceasefire position on the basis of the call Öcalan made on Newroz on 21 March and the subsequent instruction given by our Executive Council on the 23rd. There has been no change or no new move since that date. Our forces are ready for any possibility”. Kalkan stated that they were ready for withdrawal, on condition that the terms they put forward are fulfilled. Kalkan added that their forces could agree on withdrawal only if concrete steps are taken to meet their demands or if the Kurdish leader is directly involved in the process and convinces them to do it.  “Nobody should expect the withdrawal to happen that easily – he warned – and criticized reports of an alleged withdrawal to happen soon and in an easy way”.