Turkey to reveal new Kurd plan

ANKARA, Turkey, March 10 (UPI) -- A former adviser to the Turkish prime minister said the official is expected to unveil a plan to improve the lives of the country's Kurdish population.

Mehmet Metiner, a former adviser to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, said the prime minister would announce the political and economic package during an April 6 visit to the country's southeastern region, Hurriyet reported Monday.

"Mr. Prime Minister will make very important statements in Diyarbakir. He will deliver important initiatives to promote Kurdish culture and language as well as a comprehensive package for the region. He will say Turkey has entered the solution process. We are working on that", said Metiner, a Kurd.

"If civilian and cultural openings follow the military operations and unemployment problem of the people in region is solved, DTP (Democratic Society Party) will get a very heavy defeat and lose its claim. Unless AKP (Justice and Development Party) takes such a step, things get harder for AKP in the region. They must be in a hurry," Metiner said.