Turkey's terror board ends meeting, decides to meet again on Tuesday
Güncelleme Tarihi:
The Higher Board of Counter-Terrorism on Thursday decided to meet and continue its talks on the measures in its fight against the terror organization, PKK, said the statement released after the 6-hour-long critical meeting.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who chaired the gathering, said on Wednesday this meeting would help Turkey to "renew its road map in its fight against terror."
A comprehensive road map, which would include all means from military to political, is expected to be drawn in these series of meetings that intensified after Turkey lost 22 people in terror attacks in less than a week.
The Turkish parliament on Wednesday extended the mandate to launch army operations against the terror organization bases in northern Iraq.
The board discussed various measures including the possibility of a cross border operation as well as the recent proposal on the formation of a buffer zone between Turkey and Iraq.
Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Interior Minister Besir Atalay and Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin attended the meeting.
The military wing was represented by General Staff Chief Gen. Ilker Basbug, Land Forces Commander Gen. Isik Kosaner, Gendarmerie Forces Commander Gen. Atila Isik and General Staff Deputy Chief Gen. Hasan Igsiz.
Security Chief Oguz Kagan Koksal, National Intelligence Agency (MIT) Undersecretary Emre Taner, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Efkan Ala and several other officials also attended the meeting.
Turkey's fight against terror had came under spotlight again after a PKK attack on a military post, in which 17 soldiers were killed and 20 others injured.
On Wednesday five people were killed, including a civilian, and almost two dozen were injured in an attack on a police school bus carried out with grenades and guns.
The foreign ministry Thursday sought to allay concerns that the changes demanded by the security forces would amount to backpedalling from EU democracy norms.
"The measures to be taken will make no concession neither on our security nor freedoms. There is nothing to worry about," ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin told reporters.