Prof. Aytekin Geleri, expert of Security and Defence at the Institute of Strategic Thinking (SDE) dismissed suggestions that Turkey is returning to a 1990s strategy to combat terror. “We are not returning to the 1990’s way of fighting terror as some have suggested. The way terror will be fought is much different than in the 1990s. Terror will be fought by a professional and disciplined force that upholds the rule of law and in coordination with the interior ministry. Terror will be fought with the understanding of the complexities in defeating terror, and a two-pronged approach will be used to defeat terror -- that is political and military but with the civilian authority having a more determined control in tackling the terror problem,” he said.
Last month, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan sent word through his lawyers that he had agreed with Turkish officials to set up a “peace council” aimed at ending the conflict. Öcalan said the council should be formed within one month, although it was unclear what form it would take. His proposal came a month after PM Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) won an election for a third term in power and two months after Öcalan threatened war unless the government entered talks. But on Wednesday Erdoğan had harsh words: “From now on there is nothing to talk about. We will see what happens,” he said.