FINISH YOUR LETTERS IN TIME / Buldan : We had an eight-hour meeting with the KCK

ANF – ANKARA 30.12.2013 – The BDP delegation that went to Kandil to obtain a letter replying to the letter written to the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) by the Kurdish People’s Leader Öcalan, has returned to Turkey.  BDP Group president MP Pervin Buldan Buldan said they had held an 8-hour meeting with KCK officials at Kandil, and due to the fact the letter had not been prepared had been given a verbal message.

Buldan added that they would meet the government on Thursday and visit İmralı again soon.

‘The response to the letter will be ready by the time we make our next journey’

BDP MP Pervin Buldan and HDP deputy chair Sırrı Süreyya Önder, who had travelled to Kandil on 29 December to collect a response to the letter written to the KCK by Abdullah Öcalan, returned to Turkey last night.  Buldan emphasised that they had gone to Kandil to collect the reply to the letter and to assess the resolution process, adding that they had held routine talks with KCK officials during a meeting that lasted over 8 hours.

Buldan said that after their meeting with Öcalan on 7 December, he had given them a 20-page letter to be conveyed by them to Kandil, adding: “‘is a reply to this letter ready?’ ‘What are KCK executives planning to do in this regard?’ We went to Kandil to obtain a response and had a long meeting. But we were told that Mr Öcalan’s letter had to be read and discussed in all areas before a reply could be composed and that only then would a reply be prepared. We were told things verbally. Therefore we shall definitely go there again.”

‘We discussed whether the process would be affected by the power struggle’

Buldan said that at their meeting with KCK leaders they had discussed the political agenda in Turkey and examined the resolution process, adding: “Of course, we assessed the latest developments in Turkey. We talked about whether and how the power struggle between the AKP and the Gülenists would affect the peace process. We also examined the judgment in the Sebahat Tuncel case. We came to the conclusion that due to the lack of resolution of the Kurdish question theft and corruption are to be expected. The Kurdish question needs to be resolved, it cannot be postponed. The AKP needs to resolve this question. It cannot go on like this. There is the threat of provocations. A legal foundation must be provided and steps taken on the basis of  a democratic republic.”

Buldan said they would hold their first meeting with the government since the cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, and that they would also meet cabinet ministers. Buldan added: “We have asked for meetings with the Interior Minister, Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Speaker Mr.Cemil Çiçek. How will the peace process go? We discussed the existence of a parallel state. Mr Öcalan has mentioned this at every meeting. He has said the Prime Minister should be careful. Alas, the AKP-Gülenists have implemented oppression jointly. As a result this corruption has been revealed. The Kurdish question needs to be resolved in a democratic way. On Thursday we may clarify the date of our visit to the island”

‘On Thursday we will make our request to go to İmralı’

Buldan added that they hoped to meet Mr Öcalan soon, saying: “On Thursday we shall make an application to the Ministry of Justice for a visit to Mr Öcalan. We hope to hold a meeting with him at the beginning of 2014.”