Turkey's Kurdish politicians welcome AA's Kurdish broadcast

Turkey's Peace And Democracy Party (BDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas, BDP Igdır MP Pervin Buldan, Bingol MP Idris Baluken and  BDP Mus MP Sirri Sakik including with the Mayors of Diyarbakir, Hakkari and Mus on Sunday congratulated Anadolu Agency (AA) for startingKurdish broadcast. Speaking to the AA correspondent, Turkey's Peace And Democracy Party (BDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas said "we congratulate and wish AA success" on Kurdish broadcast. Demirtas added, in accordance with the aim of broadcasting in 11 languages, we see the new addition of the dialects of Kurdish, Kurmanji and Sorani as an important step in AA's broadcasting. BDP Igdır MP Pervin Buldan said "other news agencies and channels should follow Anadolu Agency's steps," regarding Kurdish broadcast. BDP Mus MP Sirri Sakik said, "this should make a contribution on Kurdish issue. It is a step which we pay attantion to". BDP Bingol MP Idris Baluken said, Kurdish, one of the oldest languages in this country, to be used in state-run national news agency is a remarkable development. Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir said, "l am happy that Anadolu Agency will start Kurdish broadcast and l wish success to AA's Kurdish broadcasting". Hakkari Mayor Fadil Bedirhanoglu said, there are nearly 40 million Kurdish people in the Middle East and nearly 20 million in Turkey and added, it has been an insufficiency that there has been no Kurdish broadcast by now. Bedirhanoglu added, I hope Anadolu Agency will fill this "deficiency". Mus Mayor Necmettin Dede said Kurdish has been spoken in northern and eastern regions of Turkey and added AA's step (towards Kurdish broadcast) was highly important. Dede added, TRT 6 as a TV channel, was very successful for broadcasting in Kurdish and l believe and support AA's success on this as well. The announcement of the Kurdish broadcast had come a year ago on the 92nd anniversary of the agency. AA Board Chairman and Director General Kemal Ozturk had emphasized that broadcasting in Kurdish was part of their “centennial vision”. Turkey’s Anadolu Agency (AA), aiming to become one of the world’s top five news agencies by 2020, has begun broadcasting in Kurdish on September 1 within the scope of its centennial vision. AA, opening an office in Irbil in regional administration in north of Iraq, has started Kurdish wire service in two dialects, Kurmanji and Sorani, in September. Kurdish is the sixth language used by the agency, after Turkish, English, Arabic, Bosnian and Russian. Kurdish News Desk Service will broadcast the developments in politics, economy, sports, tourism, culture and life in Turkey and the world in Kurmanji and Sorani dialects with photo and video for the region. Kurdish News Desk covers a team of 40 people based in Ankara and Irbil. The Kurdish news stream went on test broadcast after the training of Kurdish news desk personnel was completed, with the full-fledged wire-service planned to be put in operation. Within the scope of the project, AA opened a representation in Irbil while the central offices in Suleymaniyah and Kirkuk are on the way. Kurdish language-news is broadcasted via the websites of  "http://www.aa.com.tr/kk" and "http://www.aa.com.tr/ks".