Ruling party deputy says a resolution process for the Kurdish question could restart
HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) is a legal party and there is no reason not to start a renewed resolution process for the Kurdish question, an AKP deputy said on Monday in an interview with Turkey’s Medyascope news site.
Speaking about the latest debate surrounding a visit by an AKP (Justice and Development Party) delegation to HDP to ask their support for an amendment in the constitution, Mehmet Ali Cevheri said that “it was absurd for AKP not to visit HDP.”
Last week, AKP officials payed a visit to the parliamentary group of HDP for consulting with deputies concerning a potential move by the AKP to bring the Islamic headscarf issue to a referendum vote in order to amend the Turkish constitution in case their proposal is approved by the voters.
Cevheri said HDP was a legal party with a sizable voter support and it was only natural to ask for their support during a constitutional debate in the parliament.
Asked if this could lead to a renewed talks for the resolution of Kurdish queiston, Cevheri replied:
“Now of course, why not? If HDP evaluates this extended hand and gives positive support to this constitutional work... The problem of HDP is whether it is a Turkish party or not. We wish that HDP become Turkey’s party, keep its distance from terrorism.”
Earlier, commentator Ismail Saymaz from Halk TV said a senior figure from the ultra-nationalist MHP (Nationalist Movement Party), the smaller partner in the ruling bloc, said MHP leader Devlet Bahceli could react to the visit in a parliamentary speech on Tuesday.
Cevahir stressed that he had nothing to do with racially political parties.
“Let me specifically point that out. Therefore, I am in the AKP because it is a party that defends my thoughts and ideas in terms of belief, thought and opinion,” he said.
Earlier, two AKP senior figures also commented about the visit.
“AKP must decide: If it sees HDP as a party to sit and talk with and whose support will be considered important, then it should change his language and approach towards HDP,” tweeted Mehmet Metiner, a former AKP lawmaker and a columnist for pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper.
Another senior AKP official Samil Tayyar who is also a former deputy and currently in the party executive board quote tweeted Metiner’s tweet saying “If it is a political extension of the PKK and a party that should be dissolved, why are we talking to them about the Constitution?”
