Hüseyin Çelik's claim about Bahçeli: He presented a fait accompli, AKP said 'okay' to avoid losing MHP
Hüseyin Çelik, one of the founders of the AKP and a former minister and MP, stated regarding the "Terror-Free Turkey" process: "I do not believe that comprehensive preparations were made on this matter or that a cost-benefit analysis was conducted. Mr. Bahçeli initiated the process with a fait accompli."
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Speaking to Yeni Yaşam newspaper, Çelik said that the process was not a planned state policy and that it began with a 'fait accompli' by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli.
Çelik stated that a new agenda emerged within the government following Bahçeli's remarks, which also caused surprise within the AKP. Noting that the party leadership could not object to this move out of concern for preserving the People's Alliance, Çelik assessed, "The AKP had to say 'okay' to avoid losing its partner. For this reason, the start was not healthy."
"IF THERE HAD BEEN A WELL-ESTABLISHED PLAN..."
Hüseyin Çelik argued that there is no joint will in Ankara to manage the process and that confusion on the subject is evident. "If there had been a well-established plan, it would have been clarified whether a visit to İmralı would take place, what would be done regarding elements in the mountains and abroad, and who could be included in politics and under what conditions," he said, expressing that the process is proceeding without a framework.
Reminding that MHP Chairman Bahçeli has occasionally made statements implying that Öcalan could speak in Parliament, Çelik drew attention to the inconsistency between these remarks and the fact that some individuals who express their thoughts are kept in prison.
Hüseyin Çelik stated that the process was presented to society in an unprepared manner and that the public was faced with developments without a clear plan. "There is no image of a government capable of making these calculations. The process began without a foundation," he said.