Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his counterpart in Turkey on the need for a negotiated peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish question in Syria and in Turkey.

We encourage Turkish and Kurdish political leaders to resolve disputes through negotiation. The Foreign Secretary and our Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the importance of returning to the peace process and the need to respect human rights for all citizens. We are clear that PKK violence must end, and stand ready to help in any way we can. In Syria, we continue to work for a sustainable national political settlement which protects the rights of all Syrians, including Kurds.