World Bulletin / News Desk

The Kurdistan Workers' Party - designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States - is attempting to portray itself positively to the West by exploiting its fight against ISIL in Iraq, Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Cicek has said.

In remarks to reporters following talks with Danish parliamentary speaker Mogens Lykketoft on Wednesday, Cicek said: "Turkey is against all types of terrorism, including ethnic, ideological or radical. Turkey suffered all these three types of terrorism."

"PKK blocks the roads, abducts people and continues with bomb attacks whenever it finds the opportunity."

He went on: "But it tries to seem attractive to the West through its fight with ISIL. We hope the West will not be deceived by such an illusion. This organization continues to be a terrorist one.

After PYD militants, an offshoot of the PKK in Syria, gained ground against ISIL in Iraq, the PKK appeared to gain some support among Western media outlets.

'Clear stance'

An on online petition launched in the U.S. last month called on the White House to remove the organization from a list of designated terrorist organizations.

Cicek went on: "The international community should evaluate the developments in Syria and Iraq very well, they should not repeat old mistakes.

"They have to take a clear stance against terrorist groups."

Cicek added: "Everyone should empathize with us, before they put expectations on us. We are not facing an easy task. This is very complicated."

Turkey 'not understood'

Turkey has refrained from signing a treaty in Saudi Arabia last week seeking to mount a coordinated campaign, including military measures, against ISIL.

Ten Arab countries, including GCC states, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon, plus the U.S., signed a treaty agreeing to coordinate efforts to fight the militants.

Referring to more than 1.5 million refugees coming from Syria and Iraq, Cicek said: "It seems like an immigration problem from the outside but, for us, it has countless dimensions, such as criminal, social, economic and in terms of security, etc.

"Turkey needs to be understood. The countries saying 'Turkey should do this and that' are putting expectations onto us without understanding Turkey very well."