Pm Calls On Hdp To Separate Violence And Democracy In Coalition Talks

- Following a meeting with the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) leadership as part of talks aimed at forming a coalition government, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has preferred to put great emphasis on the vital need to exclude the justification of violence for the sake of democracy.

Davutoğlu’s visit to the headquarters of the HDP on July 15 was the third and last stop of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader’s tour of other parties in a quest to form a coalition government. It was also the longest meeting so far, as it took longer than Davutoğlu’s meetings with both Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli.

The June 7 parliamentary election has provided an opportunity to all parties for a self-review, Davutoğlu said at a press conference after the two-hour-long meeting, noting they had already completed such a review.

During the meeting Davutoğlu conveyed his views on the three principles - peace, democracy and justice - HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş had formulated as their view of the coalition government.

“If peace is essential, then no armed forces can harbor in Turkey’s territories” he said, in an apparent reference to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“Come, as the HDP, display a stance against all kinds of violence and armament” Davutoğlu said, arguing such a move would not only contribute to politics in Turkey but would also be in favor of the HDP too.

“However, while saying ‘peace’ on one side, legitimizing violence on the other side will bring no good to you, to us and to the country either” he said, reiterating the HDP should put a clear line between democracy and violence. “The presence of armed groups on mountains would pose a contradiction” he said.

Briefly describing the meeting as “a useful consultation,” Davutoğlu said no decision had been made on the formation of inter-party delegations to hold “exploratory” talks aimed at exploring the feasibility of a viable coalition between the AKP and the HDP. Still, without citing the level of possible further talks, he noted talks between the two parties could continue.

During the meeting, Davutoğlu was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan, Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mehdi Eker, former Interior Minister Efkan Ala, Adıyaman deputy Adnan Boynukara and Erzurum deputy Zehra Taşkesenlioğlu.

Demirtaş and the other co-chair of the HDP, Figen Yüksekdağ, hosted the AKP delegation along with HDP deputy parliamentary group chairs, İdris Baluken and Pervin Buldan and Ankara deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder and a member of the party’s Central Executive Board (MYK), Zeynep Karaman.

Baluken, Buldan and Önder have been among the frequent visitors of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan as part of the government-led resolution process aimed at ending the three-decade long conflict between Turkey’s security forces and PKK militants. Both Akdoğan and Ala have been visibly active during the process as well.