Rally in Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey, June 8, 2013

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has dismissed talk of an early election amid continuing protests against the Erdoğan Government.

After a four-hour meeting of the AKP Executive Council, attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior officials, a spokesman said the Parliamentary vote will be held in 2015 as scheduled: “There is political stability. Fortunately, there is no reason to require an early election.”

The spokesman said the Government was ready and open to listen to “reasonable” demands, but would not accept the call of protesters for top security personnel — including the Minister of Interior minister, Istanbul’s Governor, and top police officers — to be relieved of duty: “Our Prime Minister will not [dismiss] anyone whom he believes is not responsible.” The Taksim Solidarity Platform has demanded that the interior minister, Istanbul’s governor and police who have brutalized protesters should be investigated and stripped of their duty.

Meanwhile, the AKP has decided to hold “unity and solidarity” rallies on 15 June in Ankara and the next day in Istanbul.

Istanbul Mayor Calls For Concessions on Gezi Park

Taking a sharply different line from the defiance of Prime Minister Erdogan, Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş has said no shopping malls or residences will be built on the site of Gezi Park.

Turkey’s mass protests were sparked last week by Government plans to build a replica Ottoman-era military barracks. Topbas said the barracks will still be built, but is likely to be a city museum or an exposition center.

Topbaş said most of the trees of the park could be incorporated into the project, adding that out of the 563 trees in the park, 72 were fit to be moved and another 26 could also be planted again but with some risks.

Libya: 11 Killed in Benghazi Clashes

At least 11 people were killed and 35 wounded in clashes on Saturday between protesters and a Libyan militia, operating with Ministry of Defence approval, in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Residents said dozens of protesters rallied outside the headquarters of the Government-backed Libya Shield brigade, demanding the disbanding of militias who have yet to disarm fter the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in October.

The Libya Shield brigade is made up of former insurgent who say they are aligned with the Ministry of Defence. A Government spokesman said special forces from the Libyan military had arrived at the scene.

Yemen: National Dialogue Resumes

Yemen has begun the second round of its national dialogue, aiming to draft a new Constitution and prepare for elections in 2014.

The talks are part of a United Nations-brokered deal that removed Ali Abdullah Saleh after 33 years in power, with President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi leading a transition.

Hadi said the dialogue had taken steps towards “drawing the outlines of a new Yemen where justice, equality and freedom prevail. Yemen can no longer withstand more crises and there are many challenges”.