'Erdogan accuses German foundation of funding PKK'

'Today's Zaman': Turkish prime minister says German government turning a blind eye as aid provided to the outlawed Kurdish party.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Erdogan 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Erdogan 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the German government on Sunday of turning a blind eye to a German foundation that is indirectly "funneling money" to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Today's Zaman reported Thursday.
Erdogan, who made the comments on his way back to Turkey from Macedonia, failed to say which foundation in Germany was funding the group, but told reporters that Germany's record on funding the PKK is "troublesome," Today's Zaman said.
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The Turkish prime minister accused similar organizations of signing loan deals with municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), as well as the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). In this way, Erdogan said, these groups can provide aid to the PKK.
Erdogan also said he was unsure why Germany was not taking action to prevent such funds transfers, and said that Turkey actively informs Berlin when such interractions occur, Today's Zaman said.
The Turkish prime minister used the accusation as a basis for an ongoing Turkish investigation of the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), a supposed offshoot of the PKK. Ankara has detained a number of politicians belonging to the pro-Kurdish parties in the probe, and critics say he is using it to suppress political opposition.
The Turkish government has been involved in an ongoing conflict with Kurdish separatists both in Turkey and also across borders, like in northern Iraq, in which thousands have been killed. Most recently, a Kurdish group claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in Ankara that killed three people.