Ankara condemns European Parliament for hosting Kurds sought by Turkey

Duvar English

Ankara has condemned the European Parliament for hosting an event attended by Kurds sought by Turkey, saying that it "ignores the principle of fighting terrorist organizations without discrimination."

Adem Uzun, Remzi Kartal and Zübeyir Aydar, who are all sought with a red warrant by Turkey over their links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), attended the event titled "The European Union, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds."

The event prompted condemnation from Turkey since the PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara, Washington and the European Union.

"In the scandalous event organized by the European Parliament, terrorist propaganda was spread by ringleaders of the PKK terror group and its supporters and heinous threats were made against Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan," Turkey's Foreign Ministry said, adding that the move "means openly supporting terrorism."

"We invite EU institutions and EU member states to stand firm against terrorist organizations and no longer take terrorists under its wing," it said.

Meanwhile, Turkey's presidential spokesman said early Feb. 6 on Twitter that “it is an embarrassing scandal that a blind eye was turned to the open spreading of terrorist propaganda and Turkey and President Erdoğan were insulted at a conference organized by the European Parliament.”

By "opening its doors to the PKK, which the European Union has recognized as a terrorist organization, the European Parliament openly supports terrorism and commits an offense," he also said.

"We strongly condemn this scandal. Those who ensure that blood-shedding terrorists hold talks under the roof of the European Parliament became part of the offence" he added.