Turkey, France sign domestic security cooperation agreement

Visiting French Interior Minister Claude Gueant and Turkish Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin on Friday signed here an agreement on cooperation in domestic security. "Turkey and France are two allies and friendly countries, and our bilateral relations are improving in every area, particularly security, economy and culture," said Sahin at a joint press conference. Sahin said gendarmery and police departments of Turkey and France had good relations, and their pursuit for a common stance on the fight against every type of crime, particularly terrorism, would be beneficial to both countries. "Terrorism has no religion, and terrorism is the cruelest crime against humanity, and therefore, we are altogether countering every type of terrorism," Sahin said. Sahin said Turkey was pursuing a determined strategy in fighting against terrorism, particularly against the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and its extensions. "The agreement covers cooperation on domestic security, fight against terrorism, cross-border crimes, illicit drug trafficking, and financial crimes," Sahin said. Moreover, Sahin said 485 people had been jailed since 2009 during operations against PKK's urban structure, the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK). This number was 277 after Sept. 1, 2011. For his part, Gueant said France and Turkey would act together against common threats under the agreement, adding that the agreement was also opening a door to technical cooperation as well as operational cooperation between the two countries. France would continue to support Turkey in the fight against PKK, he said, adding that 38 PKK members were arrested in France in 2010 and 32 others have been arrested so far this year.