Demirtaş

Demirtaş

Speaking on Tuesday during his party's parliamentary group meeting,

Selahattin Demirtaþ, co-chair of the BDP (Peace and Democracy Party)

welcomed the contacts with Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and said they are "logical, right and the only path to peace". He also said the talks are a positive but late and inadequate development.

"If Öcalan is to negotiate for peace, he must have direct contact with the Kurdish Communities Union and the Kurdish people,” Demirtaþ added.

Demirtaþ underlined that the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union), DTK (Democratic Society Congress) and BDP need to be included into the process of ongoing talks so that these meetings could pave the way for negotiations.

“It is important to us that the talks have been given publicity 14 years later and are progressing in partial transparency at present. This is a logical and right step taken in such a critical process”, he said.

Remarking that the Kurdish people have been insisting on dialogue and permanent peace for years, Demirtaþ said that "Despite the repression, arrests and sentences they have faced, the Kurdish people have never stopped asking for peace and indicating Mr. Öcalan as the interlocutor.”  

BDP co-chair pointed out that the Imralý meeting was also of importance given that two Kurdish deputies have for the first time visited the Kurdish leader on the island 14 years after his imprisonment. "A political issue could only be brought to a successful conclusion by searching for a solution within a political framework", he underlined.

Demirtaþ noted that “the current developments are not preset or prearranged plans between the BDP and the government and continued as follows; “The fact that the government has started talks with Mr. Öcalan should not be seen as the result of a BDP-AKP agreement. Our party was included in the process of talks only after the visit our two deputies paid to Imralý. Mr. Öcalan has not presented us any kind of road map, nor a project for solution. He has not set a timeline to convey these projects to the government or to the KCK organization. The delegation from the state and Mr. Öcalan are the major elements in the current process. This is also the message given out, that the intention for a solution through dialogue has become stronger and much more mature.”

Demirtaþ pointed out that "negotiation doesn't come into question in the current phase and added that the government's attitude will have a determining role in terms of transforming the talks into negotiations. “One of the parties involved has done what was necessary and has shown determination in working for a solution. It is the government's turn now to pave the way for negotiations and to include KCK, BDP and DTK in the process of talks so that negotiations could start".

BDP co-chair added that the government must now use a constructive language and have a constructive attitude to win the trust of the people.

Demirtaþ underlined that “as the first step to be taken in the current phase, the government must provide Mr. Öcalan with conditions suitable for conducting negotiations. Mr. Öcalan should be enabled to make direct contact with KCK and the people and to meet other delegations in the prison on Imralý island.

BDP co-chair listed other main steps for negotiations as follows;

- The government should inform the Parliament, parliamentary groups and all political parties about the phases of talks.

- Transparency has to be a "must".

- BDP is ready to share its views with all other parties but the major responsibility for talks lies with the government.

- The main opposition party, the CHP, support for negotiation is also a valuable contribution.

- As the support of other Kurdish parties and movements are also of great importance, non-governmental organizations should follow the political developments, receive the support of public opinion and overcoming the voices of racist and nationalist circles.

- The media should also contribute to a solution by siding with rights and freedoms and should adopt a fair and clear attitude. Peace doesn't mean supporting government policies without any criticism.

- Military and political operations, such as the killing of 10 PKK guerrillas and detention of hundreds of people on the same day when talks in Imralý were announced, should be brought to an end. The continuation of current operations could make negotiation and our contribution to it impossible. This approach has produced no results so far.