SABAH- Columnist Gungor Mengi comments on the recent politicization efforts of the terrorist PKK organization. A summary of his column is as follows:
The separatist organization PKK recently announced that it had ended its activities in both Turkey and EU countries. What could that mean? MED TV, the PKK's mouthpiece TV channel, claimed that the terrorist organization would no longer hold activities under the moniker 'PKK'. Therefore, the separatist organization is preparing to change its name. The PKK dares to think that it could make people forget all the murders it committed by simply labeling itself something different. According to recent intelligence reports, the PKK is playing its last hand. Its main goal is preventing the EU from adding its name to their recent list of terrorist organizations. Since it hopes to no longer be considered a terrorist organization, the PKK figures that a new political identity will provide it with opportunities to improve its situation and make new efforts towards establishing an independent Kurdish state. This will be nothing new under the sun. Unless 5,000 PKK militants abandon their arms, there is no doubt that the terrorist organization will carry on committing new crimes. No matter what name the PKK assumes, this hypocritical policy will also play havoc with efforts aimed to improve human rights and freedoms in Turkey. "Would you prefer that we remain terrorists?" the PKK militants might say. No, we don't. However, your betrayals can neither be forgotten nor forgiven. Remember 30,000 people dead, ten years and $100 billion in losses! We have to solve the Kurdish problem. However, the price Turkey pays should not include forgiving a notorious mass murderer and a bloody terrorist organization. Those who believe in the necessity of finding a solution to this problem in their very hearts should display the courage to forget PKK leader Apo's existence in prison and erasing every single mark the PKK left on history." The happiness of this nation depends on the improvement of our relations with the EU. When Turkey is admitted to the EU as a full member, all of these threats and problems will disappear. That's why 70% of the population advocates Turkey's EU membership.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION