Main opposition CHP slams gov’t over Kurdish peace process

ANKARA

Republican People’s Party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. AA Photo

Mutual distrust between the government and the Kurdish political groups will not yield a breakthrough in the ongoing resolution process, according to the social democrat opposition leader, who argued no one was really aware of the substance of the process.

“They should explain what they have in their minds about this resolution process. It just has a name and nobody knows what it is about. A process based on mutual distrust cannot produce results,” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) told reporters June 4. “Is this a solution or a non-solution process? To be frank, I have difficulty understanding,” he said.

Recalling that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members were blocking roads and kidnapping children, Kılıçdaroğlu accused the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of being unable to take action against these incidents. “Think about a prime minister who turned the government into a wailing wall on the issue of abducted children. As if he is not the prime minister … He is looking to some others [for the release of these children]. I am not of the opinion that this government can resolve the country’s most rooted and chronic problem,” he stressed.

On ongoing demonstrations from families in Diyarbakır whose children were allegedly kidnapped, Kılıçdaroğlu said it was not possible to defend the abduction of children and to justify these kidnappings. “We should be aware of the mothers’ sensitivity. For mothers, their children are more important than everything else. That’s why we should respect their sensitivity,” he added.

PM’s accusation on CNN reporter

To a question about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s accusations toward Ivan Watson, CNN International’s reporter for Turkey, of being an agent, Kılıçdaroğlu said “I am really astonished. He accused him of being an agent. I do not know whether he has evidence, but I feel really disturbed by the fact that international media is mocking the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey.”