Erbakan reacts to Imralı visit: We are against taking the Parliament to Öcalan

New Welfare Party Chairman Fatih Erbakan reacted to the Process Commission's decision to visit Imralı Island to meet with Öcalan, stating, "'What has been described and experienced over the last year in the name of a Terror-Free Turkey is not a process, but an imposition'.

As the New Welfare Party, we do not approve of the Imralı visit, which we do not know in which circles or with whom it was cooked up. We find it wrong for the TBMM to be taken to Abdullah Öcalan's feet,'' he said.

Erbakan's statement is as follows:

"As the New Welfare Party, we stand behind the approach of a Terror-Free Turkey today, just as we did yesterday.

Just as we did yesterday, we are against racism today, and we stand for brotherhood.

However, what has been described and experienced over the last year in the name of a Terror-Free Turkey is not a process, but an imposition; it is not a consultation, but a fait accompli.

Words that should not even be spoken at the end have been spoken from the very beginning, and the right to hope and freedom were promised to Abdullah Öcalan by Mr. Bahçeli at the very start of the process.

The matter was perhaps cooked up through negotiations lasting years behind closed doors, and for the sake of legal legitimacy and social consensus, it was aimed at making all political parties partners in a 'process' with a predetermined end from the very beginning, through the Commission established in the TBMM.

As the New Welfare Party, we do not approve of the Imralı visit, which we do not know in which circles or with whom it was cooked up. We find it wrong for the TBMM to be taken to Abdullah Öcalan's feet.

We draw attention to the dangers of such a critical process, which should be transparent, becoming a scene of arm-wrestling even between the ruling partners and being conducted with absolute secrecy, and the nation being ignored.

We reiterate our call to the President, who is the sole authority on every issue but who constantly stands one step back on this matter, to urgently convene a leaders' summit with a special agenda and to share the negotiations held behind closed doors with the leaders of the political parties represented in the TBMM.''