The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has intensified its diplomatic efforts in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ceylan Akça, an MP for Amed (Diyarbakır) and part of the DEM Party delegation that visited the United States between 22 and 28 June for a series of diplomatic meetings, spoke to ANF about the visit and shared her observations regarding the ongoing political process.

How did your visit to the United States take place?

About ten years ago, the then Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş and his delegation traveled to Washington, DC. Since that time, engagement with the United States has remained rather limited. The platforms shared between the U.S. and Turkey have mostly centered on economic and defense issues. Institutions that have binding authority over Turkey in areas such as human rights are primarily located in Europe. Due to the peak in rights violations in 2015, diplomatic efforts have largely focused on Europe and its institutions. After repeatedly receiving feedback from U.S.-based think tanks expressing, “We want to hear directly from you,” we decided to organize this visit.

Our delegation included Ebru Günay, Deputy Co-Chair responsible for Foreign Affairs; Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki, Deputy Co-Chair responsible for Local Governments; and me.

What were the main topics highlighted in your meetings?

We are continuing our efforts to inform the international public about the process that has unfolded since Mr. Öcalan’s call on 27 February. While our delegations, led by our Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan, carried out meetings in Germany and the United Kingdom, we held a series of discussions in the United States. Given the U.S. presence in Syria, its relations with NATO, and its general positioning in the region, we believe that receiving positive messages from the United States would be significant for the continuation of this process.

Throughout the visit, we met with institutions representing a broad political spectrum, including conservative, democratic, and democratic socialist groups. One of these meetings was with the rising democratic socialist movement in New York. It was important to see the ideological points of convergence we share with that circle, which includes prominent figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. These meetings allowed for the establishment of a meaningful connection between the “third way” politics being developed in the U.S. and our own political line.

How were your meetings with think tanks and official institutions?

We participated in a roundtable meeting hosted by the Middle East Institute (MEI). It was a well-attended event, with former and current ambassadors, foreign affairs officials, and academics present. Interest in the process was very high. Among the most frequently asked questions were why Turkey has not taken concrete steps and how the process could move forward.

Another key institution was the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI). Our party’s political line, our approach to local governance, and especially our commitment to women’s liberation were all received with great interest. They expressed that such a comprehensive and democratic approach could serve as a model for the Middle East.

What stood out in your meetings with the Senate and the State Department?

We also held meetings in the Senate and with various departments of the United States Department of State. However, on the first day of our visit, a U.S. strike on Iran had taken place, which significantly heightened regional tensions. Additionally, the “Big Beautiful Bill” package promoted by the Trump administration was causing intense debate in the public sphere. Due to these domestic and foreign policy crises, the process we presented was not among their top priorities. Still, after hearing directly from us, they showed interest, and some elected officials expressed their desire to issue public statements of support.

One of the goals of the visit was also to strengthen the U.S. representation. Were there any developments on this front?

Yes, one of the aims of this visit was to make our representation in the United States more functional. We held several meetings in this regard as well. We expect concrete steps to be taken in the near future toward that goal.

Was there any discussion about a third-party or observer role?

There was no direct request or proposal in our meetings regarding such a role. However, our counterparts consistently expressed their full support for the process and emphasized that the forty-year conflict must be resolved through peace. In our view, the true guarantor of this process is the people themselves. International support and the role of third parties are certainly important, but we believe the strongest guarantee is for people to embrace and take ownership of the process.

How are people in the region responding to the process?

We are observing a cautious optimism among the public. Because of past disappointments, people are approaching the process carefully. The lack of any concrete steps from the state could easily turn this cautious optimism into pessimism. That is why what we call “goodwill gestures” must be taken. For instance, symbolic and humanitarian acts, such as the release of seriously ill prisoners like Devrim Ayık, could help build trust in the process.

Do you have any data on how the peace process is affecting your party?

As the DEM Party, we have not commissioned a specific poll, at least not to my knowledge. However, in a survey conducted by Samer, support for the process among the Kurdish population was found to be quite high. And across Turkey, public opinion polls that are free from manipulation and conducted objectively show that there is growing support for the process.

We are not supporting this process to win elections. We are supporting and advancing it so that people’s right to live with dignity can be permanently secured.