Reaction from Erdoğan's speechwriter to Bahçeli's Öcalan statement: 'A terrible flaw'

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli's remarks regarding PKK ringleader Abdullah Öcalan continue to be a subject of debate in politics. 

Speaking at his party's group meeting last week, Bahçeli stated that Öcalan should speak at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) and said the following: 

"If the isolation of the terrorist leader is lifted, let him come and speak at the DEM Party group meeting in the TBMM. Let him declare that terrorism has completely ended and the organization has been disbanded. If he shows this resolve and determination, the path should be wide open for legal regulations regarding the use of the right to hope and for him to benefit from it. Let the address extend from Imralı to DEM, not Kandil or Edirne, and let this heavy and historical terror problem be completely removed from the country's agenda. I challenge you, we are ready for this."

Bahçeli's statements drew serious reactions from the public.

SUPPORT CAME FROM DEM PARTY

The response to Bahçeli's call from the DEM Party was not delayed. DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları responded to Bahçeli's call, saying, "The interlocutor for the Kurdish issue in Turkey is Abdullah Öcalan. If there is to be a beginning, the isolation must be lifted immediately. We are ready to take initiative for an honorable peace."

"We have been struggling for years for the isolation on Öcalan to be lifted. It must definitely be lifted. We say let him come and speak physically. Let us all see what he has to say. Steps must be taken urgently on this matter without wasting time. I underline once again that we, as the DEM Party, are ready to do whatever is necessary on this issue," she said.

TUSAŞ ATTACK 

Following the statements made by politicians regarding Öcalan, a terrorist attack occurred in front of the TUSAŞ facilities in the Kahramankazan district of Ankara. As a result of the attack, 5 citizens lost their lives and 22 people were injured. 

Following these developments, Erdoğan's former speechwriter and Yeni Şafak columnist Aydın Ünal evaluated Bahçeli's call in his column, where he addressed current issues such as the TUSAŞ attack and MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's words about PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Ünal said, "Bahçeli is proposing the sharpest antidote made from the poison itself to completely end the PKK internally. I personally see this proposal, when there are other methods, being made at such an extreme point as Öcalan speaking under the roof of the TBMM as a communication error; a terrible flaw in the writing of the speech text where the results were not calculated and the purpose and meaning were pushed into the background. Öcalan will remain in Imralı, as emphasized in our newspaper Yeni Şafak's headline the other day."

The relevant part of Ünal's article is as follows:

"There is no doubt that Öcalan's influence on the Kurds is greater than the PKK's. Öcalan, who said 'I am at the service of my state' the moment he was captured, does not have the power to disband the PKK, but he can be effective in distancing Kurds from the PKK. Devlet Bahçeli's call is aimed at this. Bahçeli is proposing the sharpest antidote made from the poison itself to completely end the PKK internally. I personally see this proposal, when there are other methods, being made at such an extreme point as Öcalan speaking under the roof of the TBMM as a communication error; a terrible flaw in the writing of the speech text where the results were not calculated and the purpose and meaning were pushed into the background. Öcalan will remain in Imralı, as emphasized in our newspaper Yeni Şafak's headline the other day."