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No result after talks between Turkey’s Erdogan, Taksim Solidarity members

Iran Press TV

Fri Jun 14, 2013 7:39AM GMT

Negotiations between Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the representatives of anti-government protesters have ended without a clear result.

Members of Taksim Solidarity, a group that has been organizing protests at Gezi Park in the city of Istanbul, met with the Turkish premier overnight on Thursday in the capital, Ankara, in an effort to end a long-running protest sit-in at Istanbul’s iconic Taksim Square without resorting to police intervention.

Witnesses said police fired tear gas at some 200 protesters who had gathered in Ankara city centre, near the offices of the prime minister, while the meeting was underway. Five demonstrators were also arrested.

Following the meeting, Huseyin Celik, a spokesman for Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), said construction work at the park would be suspended until a court ruling on the issue.

The Turkish official added that a referendum could be held on the future of Gezi Park after the court’s decision.

However, the Taksim protesters say that the issue is not just Gezi Park, and that they will continue their protests, which many of them say are against the ‘increasingly authoritarian style’ of Erdogan’s administration.

Taksim Solidarity does not represent all the protesters.

The unrest in Turkey erupted after police broke up a sit-in staged in Taksim Square on May 31 to protest against a government plan for the redevelopment of Gezi Park.

The protests soon spread to other cities across the country and turned into calls for the resignation of the Turkish prime minister.

On Thursday, the protesters dismissed Erdogan’s “last warning” to evacuate the park.

Erdogan had said in a live television broadcast, “I am making my last warning: mothers, fathers please withdraw your kids from there.”

The Turkish prime minister has faced international condemnation for his handling of the crisis. Turkish police have also been strongly criticized for using excessive force against the peaceful protests.

Five people, including a police officer, have reportedly died in the clashes in Turkey and more than 5,000 protesters and 600 police officers have been reported wounded.

MKA/HSN