In the second such meeting in months, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) hosted a delegation of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) at the opposite end of the political spectrum on Monday. The meeting at the parliamentary offices of the MHP, a government ally, is part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative launched by the nationalist party’s leader, Devlet Bahçeli, last year. A few hours later, the party held talks with top figures of ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
It comes after a call by the terrorist group PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, last month for the group to lay down arms and dissolve itself after more than 40 years of violence in pursuit of so-called Kurdish autonomy in the southeast.
The MHP, though a staunch advocate of Türkiye’s undisputed unity and territorial integrity, surprised many when its leader apparently pursued an alternative way to proactive counterterrorism efforts carried out by security forces. Bahçeli has called for Öcalan to speak at the parliamentary group meeting of the DEM Party, which is known for its intricate links with PKK, and made his call for the dissolution of the PKK. The DEM Party, whose lawmakers were caught on camera at the Parliament in a warm conversation with Bahçeli shortly before the latter’s historic call, served as a messenger for Öcalan. It was DEM Party lawmakers who conveyed his messages to all parties represented at Parliament in separate meetings after DEM Party officials met Öcalan in prison.
Unlike the first meeting with MHP officials, Monday’s talks were more brief, lasting for about one hour while veteran politicians of both sides were missing. Bahçeli is still resting after a bout of illness, while Ahmet Türk, the oldest politician in the DEM Party and a respected former mayor, did not attend the second meeting. Instead, the DEM Party’s co-chairs, Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, accompanied by Sırrı Süreyya Önder, the lawmaker who recited the Turkish version of Öcalan’s historic message last month and Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, the DEM Party’s parliamentary group deputy chair, attended the meeting. The MHP’s deputy chairs, Semih Yalçın, Feti Yıldız and Ismail Faruk Aksu, welcomed the delegation.
The two sides made brief remarks to the press after the meeting. Hatimoğulları said their talks focused on the ongoing process after Öcalan’s call, and they would release a detailed statement after they wrapped up their visits to other parties. The DEM Party delegation had earlier visited the main opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), on their first visit after Öcalan’s call. Pervin Buldan, a DEM Party lawmaker who was a member of the delegation visiting Öcalan, recently told the media that the party’s representatives would likely be received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in April, after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Erdoğan last week told reporters that he may host the DEM Party delegation if they seek an appointment. The People’s Alliance, led by the AK Party and MHP, managed to put the initiative on track with limited opposition, though Erdoğan and Bahçeli criticized those trying to exploit the situation for their own political agenda, namely those claiming the state was negotiating with terrorists.
Hatimoğulları said they were grateful to the MHP for hosting them and extended well-being wishes for Bahçeli. MHP Deputy Chair Semih Yalçın sufficed to say that it was a “beneficial” meeting.
The DEM Party’s visit to the AK Party was longer than their meeting with the MHP. It lasted about two hours, but again, no details about the meeting were shared with the media. Abdullah Güler, the AK Party’s parliamentary group chair who led the party’s delegation, said their talks with the DEM Party were “sincere, friendly.” “We exchanged views. There will be a more detailed assessment regarding the meetings in the coming days,” he said.
On Sunday, Bahçeli released a lengthy statement on the terror-free Türkiye initiative, emphasizing the need to achieve the eradication of PKK through other means. He highlighted that “clenched fists should be opened, faces with tense expressions should change and we have to stand back to back instead of turning away from each other,” he said, in another reference to the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood he often stressed in his speeches.
“It is possible, even certain, to build a national future based on cooperation, sincere dialogue and heartfelt embraces. We must break free from the grip of prejudice. In addition to shaking off the dead weight placed upon us, we must extricate ourselves from the poisonous spiral of primitive impulses, illegal setups and virtual and orchestrated provocations with unity of faith and will. A political practice that is moral, responsible, ethical and fully loyal to national sensitivities will never be defeated or trapped by chronic issues,” he said.
“In the face of a stormy regional and global system, it is crucial to maintain strategic resistance while also ensuring internal unity. We must remain resilient and strong, keeping the homefront solid, healthy and alert. Everyone must approach this issue without prejudice and with care. Every citizen of the Republic of Türkiye, every member of the great Turkish nation, is deeply troubled by the separatist terror,” he added.
“It is time to permanently remove terrorism from our lives. There is no destination or goal to be reached through terror. Over the past 41 years, the terrorist group has only destroyed, killed, polluted and escalated violence,” he continued.
Bahçeli stressed that the PKK must immediately convene its congress as Öcalan urged them to do and decide to disband.
The MHP leader also criticized the CHP, accusing it of sabotaging the initiative while he praised the DEM Party for supporting it. “The Dem Party’s political engagement with other parties within the program is commendable,” he said, adding that he hoped to personally host the DEM Party delegation.
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