Turkey to present Kurdish reform bill within days - minister

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, flanked by his deputy Besir Atalay (L) and Energy Minister Taner Yildiz (R), speaks during a news conference at Ataturk International airport in Istanbul April 4, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Turkish government aims to present to parliament in the coming days a reform bill to advance its peace process with Kurdish militants, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said.

Such a move could boost Kurdish support for Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan ahead of his expected bid to become the country's first directly elected president in August. Kurds account for around a fifth of Turkey's population.