Kurds give Turkey 3 month ultimatum

The Kurdistan Workers' Party is not declaring war on Turkey yet. This was announced by Iylmaz Shiar, official representative of the party in Armenia.

He said the Workers' Party is giving Turkey three more months to consider holding negotiations with the Kurds. If Turkey does not agree to hold negotiations, the Kurds may declare war. 'Moreover, Kurds will not fight in the mountains any longer, it will be new, contemporary warfare,' said Mr Shiar. 'In order to avoid war Ankara must announce its peaceful intentions and willingness to start diplomatic reform on Kurdish territory.'

The Workers' Party is demanding that Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan is kept in better prison conditions and they want an independent committee to make sure he remains in good health. If his health deteriorates war may begin earlier than expected. In addition, Ankara must bring the Kurdish leader out of political isolation.

Further demands include the immediate withdrawal of semi-criminal Turkish forces from Kurdish villages. According to Mr Shiar, the Turks are paying Kurds to terrorize the Kurdish population. 'Abdullah Ocalan said that if someone wants to kill you do not let him live. Let Turkey know that this is an order for us,' Mr Shiar said.

He added that Kurds will start putting democratic pressure on Turkey from today. Demonstrations will take place around the world. In Yerevan Kurds have gone on hunger strike: 25 people have declared that they will not eat for five days using the slogan 'Ocalan's health is the health of the whole population.'