PEACE IN TURKEY

Early day motion 102, tabled 25 November 1999 by John Austin (Labour). Signed by 34 members.

That this House believes that Turkey is at a turning point in its history, with a choice between peace and democratisation or conflict and crisis; welcomes the cessation of hostilities by the PKK; calls on the Government of Turkey to cease military operations against the Kurds; asks Her Majesty's Government to urge the Government of Turkey to enter negotiations with representatives of the Kurdish community in south-east Turkey and reminds the Turkish Government of its commitment at the Copenhagen meeting of the OSCE to the right of national minorities to freely express, preserve and develop their ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity and to maintain and develop their culture; and believes that the execution of Abdullah Ocalan would be a set-back for peace and lead to continuing conflict and suffering for both the Kurdish and Turkish communities.

Signatures by party: Labour 29, Labour/Co-operative 2, Liberal Democrat 2, Plaid Cymru 1.