However opinion polls indicate he may not even need broad

Turkey submits bill https://www.forcanadagoose.ru to boost Kurdish peace process

ANKARA (Reuters) Turkey government sent a bill to parliament on Thursday setting out a legal framework for peace talks with Kurdish militants, a step that may boost support for Prime Minister buy canada goose jacket Tayyip Erdogan canada goose uk outlet before an August presidential election.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan speaks as he attends a political rally for members of the canada goose coats on sale expatriate Turk community uk canada goose in Chassieu, near Lyon, June 21, 2014. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot

Pro Kurdish politicians have long sought such a bill, partly to remove the risk of Canada Goose Jackets those involved in the talks being prosecuted if the political climate in Turkey turns against the peace process in the cheap Canada Goose future.

Ankara began peace talks with jailed Kurdish canadian goose jacket militant leader Abdullah Ocalan canada goose outlet in 2012 in a bid to end a 30 year Canada Goose online old insurgency which canada goose clearance has killed 40,000 people.

are nearing the stage when these problems are solved, violence ends, people put down their weapons and come down from the mountains to return to normal social life, Deputy Prime Minister canada goose store Besir Atalay said after submission of the bill.

The draft law protects anyone involved in the talks from prosecution over the insurgency by canada goose uk black friday Ocalan Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). It also canada goose coats makes it the government responsibility to rehabilitate militants who canada goose black friday sale lay down their canada goose factory sale weapons.

Ocalan himself signalled his support for the draft law after meeting members of the pro Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) at his jail on the island of Imrali off the Istanbul coast.

a historic development for Canada Goose Outlet this law to come to parliament, Ocalan said, according to CNN cheap canada goose uk Turk website.

The bill was presented less than canada goose clearance sale a week before the ruling AK Party announces its candidate widely expected buy canada goose jacket cheap to be Erdogan for Turkey Canada Goose Online first direct presidential election, due in August.

Kurds account for around a fifth of Turkey population, and their support would help Erdogan bid. However opinion polls indicate he may not even need broad Kurdish support to win the necessary majority.

Two surveys on Thursday showed him gaining 55 56 percent support in the first round, even taking into account votes for the main pro Kurdish party candidate.

Erdogan has invested Canada Goose Coats On Sale significant political capital in peace efforts, boosting cultural and language rights for Kurds canada goose uk shop at the risk of alienating some of his grassroots support.

Atalay said the bill would canada goose allow the cabinet, rather than individual state institutions, uk canada goose outlet to take measures related to Canada Goose sale the talks, enabling it to speed up the process.

Parliament, where Erdogan AK Party has a large majority, is expected to pass the law before its recess on July 25.

A ceasefire called by Ocalan in March 2013 has largely held.

The PKK took up arms against Turkey in 1984 with the aim of carving out a separate state in the southeast for the country Kurds. They subsequently moderated their demands, seeking increased political and cultural rights which were long denied.

Additional reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; Writing by Daren Canada Goose Parka Butler; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Hugh Lawson.