Events
U.S. Considers the PKK to be a Terrorist Organization
Ian Kelly
Department Spokesman
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
October 20, 2009
State Department spokesman Ian Kelly: We consider the PKK to be a terrorist organization. We support the efforts of our Turkish allies to deal with the problem of the PKK. We are very supportive of the territorial integrity of Turkey.
We have also called on Turkey to open up dialogue with the Kurdish population of Turkey, allowing the Kurdish population more cultural rights, more language rights, which the Government of Turkey has been doing. And I think we would welcome any steps that would lead to a dealing with the – with ultimate reconciliation of some of the differences in Turkey between the Kurdish-speaking population and Turkey. And as I say, we support Turkey’s efforts to deal with the PKK.