Presidential Spokesperson Kalın Responds to Interview of KCK’s Bayık to BBC

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Group of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK) Co-Chair Cemil Bayık gave an interview to BBC reporter Ian Pannell in Qandil mountain under Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Administration. Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın has shown reaction against the interview.

In his interview Bayık had noted that in case the state continued its operations, they would escalate the war and it would expand across Turkey.

Kalın: This interview is an indirect support to terror

Kalın has commented on the interview as; “These practices which aim at justifying terror have nothing to do with journalism. This is nothing else than an indirect support for terror”.

Bayık in his interview had noted that there was a direct contact between coalition forces and  Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) with respect to the battle against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS):

“Beyond indirect, it could even count as direct. Because the whole world knows how our forces fight against DAEŞ (ISIS). No fight against DAEŞ has been carried out behind the back of the coalition forces. From time to time, there have been even some meetings. Those who fight against DAEŞ have to get in contact with the guerilla”.

Bayık over being asked whether he meant the US with the contact has responded; “Both from the US and England. The one who actually represents the coalition forces is the US of course. The main question is not whether to meet US or others”.

Kalın’s response to contact with US

Reminding that claims such as the one from Cemil Bayık who said “We are in direct contact with coalition states including US” had also been brought to agenda earlier, Kalın said “Yet this has been denied by states. We orient ourselves on the statements of the states”.

Bayık: Terms declaring war for truce should change

Bayık has commented on the calls for truce that these were unilateral:

"This does not mean anything. This war is a consequence and there are causes of this. Stopping any kind of war without eliminating these causes won’t have any outcome.

“Us calling truce again does not mean anything. The ones who urge us to do so, should also call on Turkey”.

Why do TAK actions not stop?

Bayık, noting that the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) organization was not related to PKK has stated that they condemned the actions against the civilians yet they considered the actions against soldiers like on the first Ankara attack, a part of war.

“It is an organization outside of ours. We do not know who are its members. Probably some who have left us, have taken part in it. TAK’s actions do not stop because there is a terrible war in Turkey. Under these circumstances, who could avoid TAK? Under these circumstances, if TAK takes action, it gains sympathy among society. The policies of the state of Turkey is the cause”.