Turkish PM pushes for peace process amid provocation fears

The new peace process which is aimed at ending terror is a litmus test which will explicitly display who is in favor of a resolution and who is in favor of continuation of grievances, said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, warning against provocations in funerals of three Kurdish women killed in Paris. "Our security forces will again be extremely sensitive and awake in order to avoid provocations and sabotages during the funeral ceremonies for slain Kurdish women," Erdogan said. Sakine Cansiz, a prominent figure of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) European wing, Leyla Soylemez and Fidan Dogan were murdered last week in an execution-style attack as a new round of talks between the Turkish government and Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned PKK leader, has been launched. The bodies of the three women were on way Wednesday to Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey's mainly Kurdish Southeast. A ceremony will be held on Thursday in Diyarbakir and then they will be buried at three different cities of their homeland. "We expect politicians and those who have responsibility to show the same sensitivity," Erdogan said as many fear that the funerals of the three slain women could turn into massive pro-PKK demonstrations. The Turkish prime minister pledged to continue efforts to find a solution to terror despite attempts to sabotage his government's initiative. He suggested that the killing could be a result of an internal PKK feud. "There are segments that will lose all kinds of benefits with the end of terror problem in turkey. They will do and they are doing their best for blocking progress of this sensitive process," said Erdogan. He stressed the government would carry on military operations against the PKK, saying "Our security forces will continue their operations until the terror organization lays down its arms and ends its attacks." The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, took up arms in 1984 in an attempt to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey.