A HDP delegation met the Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini today in Brussels.
During the meetings, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-President Selahattin Demirtaş expressed his concerns over snap election in Turkey, and stressed the need for a third party for the peace process. He made evaluations regarding the attitude of European officials, HDP’s concerns over the election, the conditions needed for the continuation of the democratic resolution process and his initiatives in this regard, said the peace process was not under the monopoly of the AKP and put emphasis on the need for a credible ceasefire process and the ending of the İmralı isolation for that.
Commenting on the meetings he held with the EU officials, Demirtaş said the HDP had gained an effective status in Turkey and the international arena, and stressed that the party had genuine policies and proposals for the solution of both the problems in Turkey and the crisis on regional level. He underlined that one of the most urgent needs in Turkey was to return to non-conflict environment and credible and transparent negotiations backed by the observation or guarantorship of a third party.
HDP Co-President also put emphasis on the essentiality of a fair and secure election in Turkey, adding;
“The European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have particular responsibilities in this regard. Even though the Turkish government has voiced rejection of observations by OSCE this time, we have deep concerns over the election security and we ask the European Union, OSCE and European Council to follow the elections in Turkey closely.”
Demirtaş said he observed an increasing interest towards HDP among the European politicians he talked to, who were also very much open towards the HDP and its policies for the solutions of the problems in Turkey. He noted that the international community, especially the European community is attentively following the progress of a pluralist and democratic movement in the Middle East territory where ISIS barbarism and threat reached a high level.
The delegation stressed that the peace process couldn’t start and end depending on the desire of AKP;
“The process and pursuit of peace will not ever end as long as is demanded by the people, and it cannot be left to the monopoly of the AKP. Peace process might come to a halt or regress but we do not accept any approach that advocates the recommencement of war and use of arms. People want peace because they demand a solution”,
and added that peace had its own conditions, which it listed as follows;
“First and foremost a credible and a mutual cease fire is needed. Arms must be silenced mutually and an environment must be created in which trust can be developed. A third party or an observing party from inside or outside the country must come into play. An effective force is needed in order to warn the relevant party in the event of violation of the process or ceasefire.”
The HDP delegation reiterated the need for mutual cease fire before the election and a reliable and transparent negotiation process after the elections in order to develop a lasting peace in the country, stressed that no one would abandon the peace process just because the Turkish president Erdoğan has abandoned it, repeating that peace was not under the monopoly of the AKP but rather depended on the will of the people.
Recalling the previous calls for ceasefire and stability, they pointed out that the European Union might issue stronger calls for peace in the coming period and added that the EU institutions must also undertake responsibility in the process of negotiations if needed.
Reiterating the urgent need for peace on occasion of September 1 World Peace Day, Demirtaş stressed that the peace and election processes were interrelated in the current atmosphere in Turkey.
“Peace never comes through only calls and press statements, and it requires an organisation, struggle and resistance. It became clear by now that HDP represents peace, and AKP represents war”, HDP Co-President said, and called on everyone to vote for the HDP in the name of peace.
Demirtaş also pointed to the need for transparent negotiation process in which the parties must be able to express their views and share them with the public, which is related with the conditions of Mr. Öcalan for whom it is not possible to take part in negotiations while under isolation and emphasised that a new process of negotiations can not be based on the current isolation conditions in Imralı.