What did Erdoğan tell Bahçeli about the resolution process? Ufuk Uras explains!

The repercussions of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli shaking hands with DEM Party deputies at the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) and his subsequent call regarding Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the terrorist organization PKK, continue to dominate the agenda.

While discussions regarding Bahçeli's call for Öcalan continue, Ufuk Uras, one of the founders of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), met with Bahçeli at the MHP Headquarters.

Before his meeting with Bahçeli, Uras also met with DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan and DEM Party Spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan. It was learned that Uras later met with Ahmet Türk and that both sides were aware of these meetings.

What was discussed during the half-hour Bahçeli-Uras meeting became a subject of curiosity.

Speaking to Candan Yıldız from T24, Uras explained the details of the meeting.

Stating that he had requested the meeting, Uras said, "I expressed that we are ready for any kind of support and contribution on a subject that I consider valuable and important. He also expressed his satisfaction."

Uras shared a striking detail regarding the allegations of a disagreement between MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli and AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Accordingly, it emerged that Erdoğan had approached Bahçeli at the beginning of last month with the proposal, "Let us solve this issue ourselves without involving others."

Uras continued as follows:

"Mr. Bahçeli stated that Erdoğan came to him at the beginning of last month with the proposal, 'Let us solve this matter by ourselves, on our own, without involving others in these problems.' Mr. Bahçeli then said, 'Well, who is going to do this? I went to the group (DEM) and shook hands, I offered my condolences. I made that statement so that Öcalan could also express his own views on these issues without any suggestion.'"

Commenting on Erdoğan's words, "Let us solve this ourselves, without others," Uras said, "It is being pointed out that it should be solved with Turkey's internal dynamics. This was tried before and was not successful. It is difficult for them to say let us try something that has been tried again," recalling the Oslo talks before the Resolution Process.

Stating that he got the impression that Bahçeli "is standing where he is" regarding his initiative, Ufuk Uras said, "I said that it is important to meet in a historical common 'us'. I expressed that a meeting between a person with a socialist identity and a nationalist leader has a symbolic importance if it contributes to meeting in a common consensus in a way that includes all the colors of this society."

Emphasizing that Bahçeli also approved of sharing the content of the meeting with the public, Uras conveyed that Bahçeli said, "It is not possible to get anywhere from here since the 1967s. We have exhausted all our energy. Therefore, everyone should see that it is not possible to get anywhere from here. That is why we need to meet in a common place. Extending a hand also expresses this symbolically."

Stating that Bahçeli shared his thoughts on "everyone expressing themselves politically on a ground where there is no violence" with him, Uras said, "I evaluated this as opening a new page. But I expressed that a new language needs to be created."

Uras said that regarding Bahçeli's initiative on the Kurdish issue, he made the assessment, "Loss of life, economic cost, we cannot get anywhere from here, this only serves the interests of global powers."

Uras gave the following answer to the question, "Is the process in which the MHP leader has come to the fore related to the developments in Syria?"

"How could it not be! The process is something that can only happen with the normalization of Turkey-Syria relations. The issue of the PKK dissolving itself... It was not like this during the opening process. This can only happen by saying let this transform. Just think, you are in Syria. There are nearly 100 thousand people, let's say we dissolved ourselves. How will this happen? A model is needed, will the structure there be subject to the Syrian central government? All these are issues that need to be worked on."

Uras answered the question of what Bahçeli is trying to do as follows:

Uras answered the question, "What is Bahçeli trying to do?" by saying, "I don't think it is limited to Bahçeli. It is a process that Erdoğan is also involved in. I think it is a subject that has been worked on. Of course, they do not share the details of this with us. I have spent 40 years of my life in the struggle for peace. I don't think we have the luxury for ourselves. As long as it becomes concrete. Let a roadmap emerge. But are they waiting for it to mature, what kind of process it will be, I don't know. But instead of reading intentions or looking at who it benefits, I cared about these issues because I look at it as benefiting the children of the country."

The rest of the interview Candan Yıldız conducted with Ufuk Uras is as follows:

"When I asked why Bahçeli accepted his request for a meeting, Uras's answer was as follows:

“He said, 'Why are we meeting now, because you are not a Soros child. You are a professor, you contributed to the group so that they could do politics in the Parliament, I watch you on television, you don't need to explain yourself. I find your stance on this issue positive,' he said.”

When I reminded him of the trustee issue, he commented, “This is a difficult process with ups and downs.” By the way, the issue of trustees did not come up in the meeting.

Bahçeli also stated that it is important for intellectuals, artists, and civil society to support and contribute to this process. Uras stated that Bahçeli expressed, “If there is to be a dialogue, a consensus, it is necessary to meet with these segments as well.” Uras commented, “What is called the survival of the state carries meaning when it merges with the survival of the society.”

Stating that he did not get the impression that there was a duality between Bahçeli and Erdoğan, Uras answered my question, “Did a topic like you going to meet with Öcalan come up?” by saying, “That is a detail, a technical thing, but I said we are always ready to contribute, to put our hands under the stone.”

Uras also shared that while leaving, he took the book "The Country Of Turkmens" to Bahçeli, who is of Turkmen descent."