HDP co-Chair Selahattin Demirtas and HDP representative in Europe Eyyup Doru made a diplomatic visit in Sweden on Thursday, August 20, following the invitation of the Olof Palme International Center and the party of the Swedish Social Democrats.
HDP representatives met with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström and the Minister of Defence Peter Hultqvist, the Secretary of State for the Department of Justice Ann Linde and the General Secretary of the Olof Palme Center Jens Orback.
The Foreign Minister Wallström said at the joint press conference after the meeting that the government of Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) should revive the peace process that was interrupted earlier this summer.
She stressed that the HDP was a very modern and democratic party that supported both gender equality as equal rights.
Wallström stressed that Sweden had a strategic partnership with Turkey on trade and environmental issues and also offered to take on a mediating role in resolving the Kurdish conflict if both parties wished.
Demirtas for his part called for an unconditional return to negotiations and a bilateral cease-fire:
“We never believed in solving a problem through the use of firearms or violence. We always put a clear distance between us and the actions that had recourse to arms and violence. We have consistently called for cease-fire. We absolutely have to go back to the terms of a cease-fire. Weapons must absolutely be put aside and the parties must return to the negotiating table, at the table of dialogue. We believe that, by means of speech and negotiation, in a context of stable relationship, we will achieve a solid experience that will lead to a resolution of our problems. The people of Turkey want peace. They want calm. Our party has always said it was prepared to lend its support to this. I would, here this time, repeat this call. Yes, guns must be absolutely shut. The search for a non-violent and non-military solution must be undertaken very quickly “.
The Delegation of the HDP and the group of Swedish ministers then held a press conference that also had considerable coverage in the Swedish press.
Peoples' Democratic Party – Representation in Europe