France welcomes decision by Kurdish PKK to lay down arms

France said Friday that it welcomed the decision by the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to end armed operations against Turkey and to lay down its weapons after a 30-year guerrilla war that cost 40, 000 lives. The cease-fire announcement was made by proxy statement on behalf of PKK leader and co-founder Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence in jail in Turkey. This is a "positive development for the future of Turkey," the French Foreign Ministry said. The Kurdish question has been at the heart of Turkey's internal security situation and has led to serious clashes and numerous bomb attacks across the country, but mostly in the south east near the border with Iraq. Turkey has carried out numerous air raids against PKK bases in the Iraq border regions and has also made several incursions in "hot pursuit" operations against Kurdish fighters. Turkey has also been accused of human rights abuses in the Kurdish zones. "We support the efforts engaged by the Turkish government, with all the actors involved, to implement a peaceful solution that will allow Turkey to live in peace, democracy and prosperity," the French statement indicated.