Kılıçdaroğlu's response to Özgür Özel on Syria: 'It is not right to say nothing was done'

Former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu defended the Republican People's Party's (CHP) past policies regarding developments in Syria.

Kılıçdaroğlu's statements were interpreted as a response to current Chairman Özgür Özel's self-criticism that his party had not played an active role on the Syria issue in the past.

CHP leader Özgür Özel had expressed his criticisms of his party's Syria policy by referencing journalist Murat Yetkin's "Middle East Book for the Curious," stating, "Why is the CHP not in the Middle East book? Because we weren't there. You have written everything. If we had done something worth writing about, you would have written that too."

'IT IS WRONG TO SAY THE CHP DID NOTHING'

Kılıçdaroğlu responded directly to these criticisms in an article he wrote for T24 and in an interview. Kılıçdaroğlu stated, "It is not right to say that the Republican People's Party did nothing on the issue of Syria. We had many initiatives to bring peace and stability to the region."

The former CHP leader specifically drew attention to the proposal for the "Middle East Peace and Cooperation Organization (OBİT)."

Emphasizing that the validity of the policies the CHP pursued on this issue in the past is seen more clearly today, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "But I must express with regret that the fact that these justified policies are not being voiced sufficiently today is my greatest sorrow."

'PARTY ARCHIVES AND MEMORY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT'

In the continuation of his statements, Kılıçdaroğlu indirectly criticized Özgür Özel. "If the colleagues who were involved in these activities at that time had not been purged, and if their knowledge and ideas had been consulted, the mistake of saying 'nothing was done' would not have been made," said Kılıçdaroğlu, reminding that the party possesses a strong archive and memory.

He stated that as a "party that founded the state," the weight and accuracy of the policies the CHP followed in the past should be better understood by party leaders. Kılıçdaroğlu said, "The memory of the CHP is the party's greatest guide. The party's memory must be protected."

To provide examples of his party's initiatives on Syria, Kılıçdaroğlu referred to the "Middle East Peace and Cooperation Organization (OBİT)" proposal he brought to the agenda during his tenure. Stating that this initiative was an important step toward ensuring peace and stability in the region, Kılıçdaroğlu said that not voicing such policies is a deficiency.

The former CHP leader argued that the validity of the policies his party followed in Syria has emerged over time, and that this legacy should not be ignored. "The fact that these justified policies are not being defended sufficiently today is the situation that saddens me the most," said Kılıçdaroğlu, emphasizing that past administrations should be appreciated more.