Özgür Özel's claim about Erdoğan regarding Bahçeli's Öcalan call: 'Either to ease his hand or...'

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 call during his party's latest group meeting for terrorist leader Abdullah Öcalan to 'Come and speak in Parliament' have strengthened claims of a new resolution process being discussed in the public eye.

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel made important statements regarding the latest developments on the agenda.

Speaking to İpek Özbey from Sözcü, Özel gave the following response to the question, "Had the government given any hints of a resolution process in its contacts with you?"

"Such a topic never came up in the two meetings we held with either Mr. Devlet or Mr. Tayyip. We have transparently disclosed the contents of the meetings. The written minutes are also available."

Özel made the following assessment regarding MHP leader Bahçeli's call for Öcalan:

"I was expecting them to take a step; rumors were coming in. Because the Justice and Development Party used to be the second party of the Kurds, and in some provinces, it was the first. It was the party that received the most votes after DEM. Recent research shows that they have completely lost this feature. When this happened, the AK Party was talking in its internal evaluations about 'a new step needs to be taken with the Kurds.' Since I thought this could not be done despite Mr. Devlet, I was expecting it to come from Mr. Devlet. I was not surprised by his handshake on October 1st. In fact, when I was asked, I said 'it was done correctly.' I was expecting Mr. Devlet to say something and ease Mr. Tayyip's hand.

But I did not expect him to say 'Let Abdullah Öcalan come and speak in Parliament.' Mr. Devlet does not say it explicitly, but the podium he is calling him to is actually the podium he is speaking from at that moment. Because MHP and DEM use the same meeting hall. He is saying 'come here,' in other words. I was surprised by this too. (Erdoğan) either wants to ease his hand or wants to block his path by proposing a step that cannot be taken. We will see this. For this, we need Erdoğan to speak."

"IF IT HAPPENS IN PARLIAMENT, WE WILL BE PART OF THIS"

Özel responded to the question, "If something like this happens, where would the CHP stand in this matter?" as follows:

"If it happens in Parliament, we will be part of it. Let no political party be excluded. This was not done last time. The Republican People's Party was excluded. In fact, at that time, the Republican People's Party was against giving credit on this issue, and there was a blunt dismissal like 'shove the credit.' Not only the CHP, but they had also excluded the MHP that day.

The experience brought by universal practices regarding the resolution of conflict processes said that this would not yield results. And so it did. World practice also said that if it fails, more violent conflicts will occur. And so it did. We suffered a lot in Turkey due to the trench incidents. We had martyrs, cities were devastated.

That is why we do not want to be left out. If it happens in Parliament, we will be part of this. But if we are invited to a place outside of Parliament, we will not be there. In other words, if they say 'Come, let us handle this outside of the AKP, MHP, DEM, and CHP,' we would not find that correct. Parliamentary oversight and being open to all parties or all groups in Parliament is important."

EMPHASIS ON SELAHATTIN DEMİRTAŞ

Continuing his remarks, Özel said, "This process cannot progress by excluding Selahattin Demirtaş":

"In the meantime, Abdullah Öcalan's call to lay down arms is a demand I can support. There is no problem with that. But why is he coming to Parliament to do this? I have a gold standard. We say that this issue should be inclusive while being resolved.

We must not do things that we cannot look into the eyes of the families of martyrs and veterans. If Abdullah Öcalan is going to contribute to the solution, if he is going to speak, he is given many opportunities. He can speak through his lawyers and relatives.

A speech can be broadcast with technical means. The parliamentary podium, especially as Bahçeli said, first he will come and speak, if he speaks well, he will benefit from the right to hope, etc. This is neither constitutional nor legal. Yes to all actors, including Öcalan, speaking and calling for the laying down of arms, but I do not share a proposal like bringing Öcalan to the parliamentary podium."

"IF THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO COME TO 'LET'S CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION,' WE ARE NOT IN!"

Özel gave the following response to the question, "Do you believe the government is sincere? Or is all of this to keep President Erdoğan in his seat for a longer time?":

"I know that all of Erdoğan's constitutional calls have a specific purpose and are aimed at his own political interests. And if this process turns around and comes back to 'let's change the Constitution,' we are not there. But if this process will result in the PKK laying down its arms with sincerity, the end of Turkey's terror problem, the people in that region being saved from the anti-democratic attitudes they are subjected to, and them truly feeling like equal citizens, then we are there."