Source : Xinhua
ANKARA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Abdullah Gul called for an end to "violence and the use of arms" by the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) following the release of eight kidnapped Turkish officials on Wednesday, Turkish media reported.
During his visit to Sweden, Gul welcomed the release of Turkish officials, saying that if arms are laid down, "we can easily move on from security policies to reforms."
The PKK handed over the abducted Turkish officials to a delegation of lawmakers from pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and representatives of human rights associations.
The release of eight captives came amidst ongoing peace talks between Turkish government and jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who said he hoped to see prisoners "reach their families" when meeting with Kurdish politicians from the BDP in February.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and most of the international community, took up arms in 1984 in an attempt to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Since then, over 35,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the group.
