CHP figure makes 'I would meet with Öcalan if necessary' statement

CHP's Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who was arrested as part of the 'City Consensus' investigation and replaced by a government-appointed trustee, was released on November 11.

Following his release, Özer visited MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, the architect of the second peace process, referred to as a 'Terror-Free Turkey'.

Responding to questions from T24's Cansu Çamlıbel, Özer made evaluations regarding his meeting with Bahçeli and the process.

Wanting to play a role in the peace process, Özer gave the following response to the question, "Would you meet with Öcalan if necessary?":

"I would meet with anyone for peace to be achieved. Dialogue and negotiation are essential for the resolution of the Kurdish issue and the realization of peace. As someone who says this, I am ready to engage in dialogue with everyone and ready to negotiate with everyone for the resolution of the issue and the realization of peace.

If my party gives me a task regarding these issues, I would gladly do it. We would talk to everyone. I think that the role you play in practice already gives you that mission. In other words, instead of receiving a task from somewhere and doing it, you can take the step yourself. As an intellectual, as an academic, and as a citizen, I have been saying since the day I was released that I will provide every kind of contribution I can for this peace process to succeed. I even made these calls while I was still inside. This is already an intellectual responsibility. If we are successful in this responsibility, we can continue by growing this work even further. Furthermore, it is not necessary for someone to assign us a task, but if we are given such a role, we would not shy away from it either. We are already doing this. I support this peace process without any ifs or buts."

Conveying MHP leader Bahçeli's evaluations regarding the peace process, Özer spoke as follows:

"He said that he is on the same page as me regarding the peace process. He mentioned the commission's work. Reminding that there have been 19 meetings so far and that the MHP and DEM have submitted their reports, he said that the reports of the CHP and the AK Party are awaited. 'If they submit them as soon as possible, the process will accelerate and then the law will be enacted,' he said. His wish is for the law to be enacted during the budget negotiations if possible."

"Mr. Devlet wants this legal framework to be completed as soon as possible without the process dragging on, and for returns home to take place. In our meeting, Mr. Devlet underlined that I am also a stakeholder in this process and therefore should not be targeted. This was important for me, of course. I, of course, conveyed the greetings of Chairman Özgür Özel to him. I had already met with Mr. Özel before meeting with him."