Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today appealed to protesters to evacuate an Istanbul park "by tonight", after promising to suspend the site's redevelopment in a bid to end two weeks of deadly anti-government unrest.
A day after giving a "last warning" to thousands of defiant demonstrators camping out in Gezi Park, Erdogan adopted a softer tone, telling protesters their message had been received.
His concession to halt the park project marked the first easing of tensions in the standoff, which has presented the Islamic-rooted government with the biggest challenge of its decade-long rule and earned it criticism from the West.
"I hope it will be over by tonight," Erdogan said in a speech broadcast on live television.
"Young people, you have remained there long enough and delivered your message.... Why are you staying?"
A peaceful sit-in to save Gezi Park's 600 trees from being razed prompted a brutal police response on May 31, spiralling into nationwide outpourings of anger against Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), seen as increasingly authoritarian.
After talks with an umbrella group of protesters called Taksim Solidarity, Erdogan agreed to suspend the project while waiting for a court ruling on its legality.
If the redevelopment is deemed legal, he wants to offer a referendum on the redevelopment plans.
Taksim Solidarity, seen as the group most representative of the protesters, said it welcomed the premier's gesture and would meet with demonstrators occupying the park this evening to discuss the next move.
"The positive outcome from tonight is the prime minister's explanation that the project will not continue before the final court decision," said Tayfun Kahraman, a spokesman for Taksim Solidary.
The group has responded more coolly to Erdogan's other proposal to hold a referendum on the proposed reconstruction of Ottoman-era military barracks in Gezi Park.
"We did not suffer through the attacks... So that a referendum could take place," they said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the Turkish Medical Association (TBB), nearly 7,500 people have been injured and four killed in the nationwide unrest, which has seen police use tear gas and rubber bullets on demonstrators who have hurled back fireworks and Molotov cocktails.
