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| The Grand Turk | |
| Iraqi Kurdish envoys fail in Turkey talks | |
| 2010-07-21 | |
| [Al Arabiya Latest] A group of Iraqi Kurdish peace envoys returned Monday from Turkey after failing to reach an agreement about the rights of the ethnic group and the end of armed struggle. Around 34 Kurdish militants and sympathizers crossed from Iraq in October to express their support of the Turkish plan to expand the freedoms of the Kurdish minority in order to end the 26-year old armed struggle between the government and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Despite voluntarily going to Turkey in a good-will gesture, the 30 adults were charged with links with the PKK, which made them subject to up to 20 years in jail. Ten of the 30 were actually put in jail pending trial. The first hearing took place in June. It is not clear how many of the group managed to cross back to Iraq. The Turkish news channel NTV estimated the number of returnees at 19 while CNN-Turk news channel said the number is 14. The Firat news agency, which is close to the PKK, quoted a spokeswomen for the returnees as saying that the prosecution of the group which initially went to Turkey for the promotion of peace made it impossible for them to pursue their efforts. "We extended the hand of peace and found only air," she said. | |
| Posted by:Fred |