No Preconditions For Coalition: Turkish Pm

- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said the Justice and Development Party (AKP) is heading into the coalition government formation process with no preconditions nor prejudices.

“We have neither prejudices nor preconditions [for a coalition government]. We are ready to discuss all options a government formation process necessitates” the Turkish prime minister said, in a speech he delivered at a fast-breaking dinner.

“I hope that we can establish a new government at the earliest, and in a way that would satisfy everybody in the country. Our only purpose is to form this government through mutual understanding, and without wasting any time” he said.

Davutoğlu was set to hold the first coalition negotiation talks with Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on July 13, as Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan commissioned and authorized him to form a government on July 9.

Following the first coalition negotiation talks with the CHP leader, Davutoğlu is expected to meet Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli on July 14 and Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ on July 15 in a bid to complete the first round of coalition talks.