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Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Prior to the landmark rally, Erdoğan made his first visit in 11 years to Mayor Osman Baydemir (R) at the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality. AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
The leader of the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government, Masoud Barzani, has lent his full support to the Turkish government’s peace bid during a joint rally with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended by thousands of people in Diyarbakır on Nov. 16. AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Erdoğan chats with Perwer who spent almost his entire adult life and career as an artist in exile in Germany and refused to come back to Turkey until a solution to the Kurdish issue was found. AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
During his first official visit to southeastern Turkey, Barzani told the crowd to support the Turkish government's peace bid: 'My request from my Kurdish and Turkish brothers is to support the peace project. I want to tell them that we support the peace process with all our force.' AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
The Iraqi Kurdish leader finished his speech with a few words in Turkish. 'Long live Turkish and Kurdish brotherhood. Long live peace. Long live freedom,' Barzani said. AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
For his part, Erdoğan also welcomed Kurdish musician Şivan Perwer and cited Ahmet Kaya, another iconic Kurdish musician who died 13 years ago to the day in forced exile after being demonized in Turkey for announcing that he would include a Kurdish song in a new album. AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
'I wish one person could have been here too, another voice of this land could have been among us,' Erdoğan said, reciting the lyrics of one of Kaya’s most known – and saddest - folk tunes, 'Diyarbakır Türküsü.' AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Both Perwer and Tatlıses took the stage during a mass opening ceremony in front of a massive crowd. Their colorful, at times self-denigrating joint speech eclipsed the consequential political context of the ceremony. AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Deputy Prime Ministers Bülent Arınç, Beşir atalay and Bekir Bozdağ joined Erdoğan during the visit. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, who returned from Myanmar yesterday, was also in Diyarbakır after postponing a visit to Washington that was due to start today. AFP Photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Along with Mayor Baydemir, prominent politicians such as independent Diyarbakır deputy Leyla Zana - wearing a traditional dress (2L) - independent Mardin deputy Ahmet Türk (L) and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) lawmakers Sırrı Sakık and Altan Tan also welcomed Erdoğan. AFP photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
The leaders and the singers then particpated to a collective wedding ceremony, which had been the pretext for Barzani's visit. AFP photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Mayor Baydemir said the meeting with Erdoğan had been very fruitful. 'This meeting is contributing to peace based on the brotherhood law which is needed by us all.' AFP photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Baydemir, who will not run in the upcoming local elections, added that he joked with Erdoğan on his project ideas. 'I said we could have asked him for ideas for projects had he come earlier,' Baydemir told reporters. AFP photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Erdoğan also pronounced the word 'Kurdistan' for the first time as he greeted the people 'of the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq.' REUTERS photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
During his speech, Erdoğan stressed the difficulties in and resistance to solving the Kurdish issue and asked the Kurdish population to support the ongoing resolution process. 'We will witness a new Turkey where those in the mountains come down, the prisons empty and the 76 million [citizens of Turkey] become one,' Erdoğan said, hinting to a general amnesty demaned by many Kurdish groups, including the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). REUTERS photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
'What can cause more indignation than a mother unable to speak with her child in her own language? I know how Perwer’s records were hidden and listened to in secret. I have heard a lot stories of unsolved murders or exile,' Erdoğan said, vowing the government’s determination to solve the Kurdish issue. REUTERS photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Meanwhile, Perwer and Tatılıses started to sing the song 'Megri' (Mom, don’t cry), improvising the lyrics, 'Peace is coming. Mom, don’t cry. Dad, don’t cry.'
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Erdoğan and Barzani held a tête-à-tête meeting during the evening after the ceremonies open to public. AA photo
Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani and PM Erdoğan meet in Diyarbakır
Barzani's landmark visit is expected to revive a stalled Kurdish peace process and deal with the latest developments in northern Syria, were the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) has announced the establishment of a constituent assembly as a 'first step' toward an autonomous administration. Kurdish musician Şivan Perwer (R) also returned for the occasion after 38 years in exile to give a concert with folk singer İbrahim Tatlıses (L). AA photo
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