Turkey's Kurdish rebels extend ceasefire
* PKK rebels extend unilateral ceasefire till July 15
* Move aimed at peaceful settlement, they say
* Fighting has continued despite truce
(Adds details from statement, background)
TUNCELI, Turkey, June 1 (Reuters) - Kurdish rebels fighting the Turkish military have extended a unilateral ceasefire by six weeks to July 15 to pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict, a website close to the group said on Monday.
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) may extend the truce to Sept. 1 if it believes the government is making progress on finding a political solution to the Kurdish issue, the Firat News Agency, which represents the PKK, quoted it as saying.
The PKK also reserved the right to defend itself if it comes under attack by the military, Firat reported.
The move comes amid overtures from both politicians in Turkey and the PKK leadership about peacefully ending the conflict that has killed 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, since 1984.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul recently said Turkey had "an historic opportunity" to end the 25-year conflict. Deniz Baykal, the main opposition leader, proposed last week the guerrillas be given amnesty if they lay down their arms first.
Turkey has always maintained it will not negotiate with the rebels and fighting can only end once the PKK has been wiped out as a threat.
The ceasefire, declared on April 14, was due to expire on Monday. Despite the truce, fighting has erupted between the PKK and Turkish forces, including bomb attacks on army units.
"It's clear that a regime of violence won't bring about results," the PKK statement said.
"In order for our decision to suspend actions to turn into a complete ceasefire, the other side must end its armed attacks."
The military does not respect the ceasefire and has been launching regular strikes against PKK bases in northern Iraq since late 2007 that have reportedly killed dozens of fighters.
Six soldiers were killed and 11 wounded on May 27 in Hakkari province near the Iraqi border in an explosion blamed on the PKK. Turkish jets bombed suspected PKK targets in northern Iraq the following day.
Some 3,000 PKK fighters are based in north Iraq, and the United States has provided Turkey with intelligence to allow it to target the group's weapons stores, shelters and other sites.
Erdogan's government has sought to expand Kurdish cultural rights, including opening a state-run Kurdish-language television station and allowing private schools to teach courses, to meet European Union membership criteria.
Kurdish was completely banned in Turkey until 1991.
PKK commander Murat Karayilan told newspapers last month the group has dropped its demand for independence and now seeks limited autonomy for the largely Kurdish southeast, as well as greater cultural rights for the minority group, which makes up about 15 percent of Turkey's population of 72 million people. (Writing by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Sophie Hares)
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