Sehriban Aslan

 

AMED - DEM Party PM member İdil Uğurlu said, "It is known that the role of Mr Abdullah Öcalan is always the key to open the door. This is known both by Turkey, international powers and opposition groups seeking freedom."

 

Although the call for talks with PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı has been on the agenda since Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli shook hands with the DEM Party at the opening of the Parliament on 1 October and later called this handshake ‘the extended hand of the process’, no concrete development has taken place yet.

 

Since the last meeting with DEM Party MP Ömer Öcalan, new disciplinary penalties have been imposed on Abdullah Öcalan, while the Ministry of Justice responded to the DEM Party's application for İmralı with ‘We are planning, reasonable time’.

 

On the other hand, in addition to the discussion of the possibility of ‘peace’, the Autonomous Administration in North East Syria being subjected to attacks by the Syrian National Army supported by Turkey is dragging the whole process into a deadlock.

 

DEM Party PM member İdil Uğurlu made evaluations on the deepening isolation and economic crisis in the country, Syria and the attacks in North and East Syria.  

 

‘Isolation is pretended to be lifted’

 

İdil Uğurlu stated that the DEM Party Co-Chairs and the party spokesperson made the necessary explanations about the handshake issue made by MHP President Devlet Bahçeli and said, "In general, when the government gets stuck, this has happened in previous years. They did it from time to time, especially during election periods. In fact, the government is aware and conscious of the fact that the interlocutor in the solution of this Kurdish problem is Mr Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı, at least as much as the Kurds and the opposition. In this sense, whenever they get too tight, whenever they get too narrow, I won't say lifting the isolation on Mr Abdullah Öcalan, in fact, they only make an attempt to open that door. They define this through their own needs and in this sense, they take a position as if they are going to communicate with Mr Abdullah Öcalan or lift the isolation."

 

‘They wants to prolong their own survival’

 

İdil Uğurlu stated that the ruling parties have narrowed down in recent years, especially after the general elections in 2023, and said that they were in a position that could not produce consent even before that. İdil Uğurlu said, ‘Those who voted for them have actually become poorer. The transfer of most of the budget in Turkey to security policies, no matter which party they vote for, they are ultimately citizens of this country and are affected by what is happening. Again, when we look at the shaping of the Middle East and consider the situation in Syria, the government wants to secure something for itself. It wants to be one of the shapers of the equation established in Syria.   Because the cards are being reshuffled in the Middle East. A lot can change in a few hours. In this sense, I think they may have made a new move to strengthen themselves internally."

 

‘Read as a threat’

 

"The Middle East is a place where there are truly extraordinary lands both in terms of the wealth of underground resources and its location. But it is also a geography where the eyes of the world are on,’ said İdil Uğurlu and added: ’Kurds are not only in Turkey, but also in Iran, Syria and Iraq. In other words, they exist within the borders of four countries. Kurds are actually the representatives of freedom and secularism in the Middle East. When we look at the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which currently sees itself in the position of making itself an interlocutor in Syria, it is a serious threat to the secularists, but İbrahim Kalın's meeting with Colani is also a message of communication between them. When we look at this, we can say that this danger is valid for the Middle East but also for Europe. After all, there are Salafist organisations and forces. These are a threat and they also read this as a threat."

 

‘Circumstances have made the Kurds the interlocutor’

 

İdil Uğurlu emphasised that the interlocutor for the solution of the Kurdish issue, which concerns the Middle East and even the world, is PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.  İdil Uğurlu said, "Conditions have made the Kurds the interlocutor, and at the same time, the interlocutor of Mr Abdullah Öcalan has actually been seen before, it is not something new. For example; the Dolmabahçe agreement was on the agenda. It is known that the role of Mr Abdullah Öcalan has always been the key, the person who will open the door. This is also known by both Turkey, international powers and opposition forces seeking freedom. In this sense, it is clear as day that the interlocutor is Mr Abdullah Öcalan, and he will decide how to determine the extent of this interlocutor."

 

‘Mr Abdullah Öcalan is the key to open the door’

 

Referring to the issue of interlocutor, İdil Uğurlu pointed out that the main interlocutor is Abdullah Öcalan. Reminding the solution process that started with the Dolmabahçe Consensus in 2013, İdil Uğurlu said, "This was also seen before, it is not something new. Years ago, the Dolmabahçe Consensus was on the agenda. It is known that the role of Mr Abdullah Öcalan has always been the key to open that door. This is known both by Turkey, international powers and opposition groups seeking freedom. In this sense, it is clear as day that Mr Abdullah Öcalan is the interlocutor. But he himself will decide what the extent of this interlocutor will be. This will be in favour of the Kurdish people and other peoples. At the moment, there is nothing yet. To make an evaluation based on something that does not exist would not be a grounded evaluation, but what was promised is clear, what he said in the talks held in previous years is clear. It is necessary to go back and look there."