Turkish PM says not to give up controversial plan

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that his government will not give up the Istanbul Gezi Park redevelopment project, which had sparked weeklong nationwide protests.

During his trip in Tunisia, Erdogan said at a televised press conference that some groups among protesters were abusing people's sensitivities on environmental issues, comparing the "extremists" to those who attacked the U.S. embassy in Ankara in February.

The outlawed Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front ( DHKP/C) claimed responsibilities of the U.S. embassy attack, which had left one security guard and one attacker killed, as well as one journalist injured.

Erdogan refused to yield to the demands of protesters, which had been delivered as a list to the deputy prime minister on Wednesday.

The Turkish prime minister confirmed that seven foreigners had been taken into custody on suspicion of instigating the Gezi Park protests, and that those detained did not hold diplomatic passports.