Turkish Opposition Party Criticizes Kurdish Initiative
Turkish opposition leaders claim Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s talks with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan lack transparency and a clear endgame, writes Tulin Daloglu.
![A pro-Kurdish demonstrator covers her face as riot police prevent protestors from marching, at Taksim square in central Istanbul A pro-Kurdish demonstrator covers her face as riot police prevent protestors from marching, at Taksim square in central Istanbul February 15, 2012. Supporters of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) held a protest to mark the 13th anniversary of the capture of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CRIME LAW) - RTR2XWBQ](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2013/01/RTR2XWBQ.jpg/RTR2XWBQ.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=9ZiS3je7)
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay told reporters in Ankara on Jan. 23 that the new peace process with Kurdish nationalists “is being handled as transparent as possible.” According to Turkey’s main opposition, however, there is nothing at all “transparent” about this process.
“No one briefed us about these talks with [imprisoned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah] Ocalan. So how could these talks be transparent?” asked Faruk Logoglu, deputy chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey’s main political opposition. During an extensive interview with Al-Monitor on Jan. 25, Logoglu stressed that the government needs to brief the parliament if it is sincere about a transparent process.