News:

AKP spokesman Atalay said about the recent meetings with HDP [Peoples' Democratic Party] regarding the resolution process, "in a sense it is an intention renewal, the commitment continues".  (Source: Al Jazeera)

Comment:

The initiated resolution process between the government and HDP-PKK [Peoples' Democratic Party and Kurdistan Workers' Party] in Turkey was about to freeze due to the killings of 48 people during the demonstrations between 6-8 October which were held under the pretext of Kobane. Following the incidents; harsh statements were made regarding the process by the AKP in order to retain the nationalist-conservative votes, and by the PKK-HDP in order to maintain and to increase its own base. Furthermore, the government made some legislative changes under the name of 'new security package' in order to prevent the re-occurrence of such events and to break down the perception of appeasement. Through such changes and increased penalties for protesters; it is sought to forestall similar protests during the future resolution process, because the resolution process in Turkey was disrupted several times. The 1st resolution process initiated by Özal was disrupted through the 'Bingöl massacre' and the 2nd resolution process initiated by Erdogan was disrupted through Khabur and Oslo. This resolution process, which can be called the 3rd resolution process, reached a freezing point due to the events on 6-8 October under the pretext of Kobane and the menacing statements of some British-wing-close names within the PKK-HDP who cannot put up with the resolution process.

Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan and a HDP delegation will meet again on Monday, 17 November, after a 2-month long pause in order to discuss the continuation of the process and the steps to be taken. Also that it came out that the Resolution Process Council, which also includes ministers, met the Imrali delegation secretly two times on 11/11/2014 before this meeting, shows that the resolution process will start again. Possible steps from now on will be:

To create a new perception of the resolution process through the statements given to the public which will be decided during those public and secret meetings of the government and HDP-PKK-Kandil delegations.

In the course of time to include names like Hatip Dicle and Ceylan Bağrıyanık who contributed to the process since its beginning among the Imralı delegation which consists of Pervin Buldan, Sirri Sureyya Onder and Idris Baluken.

To create a structure out of the 'wise people' commission that will perform the function of a 'third eye' during the resolution process. The creation of a secretariat, a monitoring committee, and a neutral board of arbitration for Imrali. Also Abdullah Öcalan's declaration communicated by HDP co-chairman Selahattin Demirtas to the government stating "... let's take concrete steps for the resolution process, disarm the PKK through a congress in March and April 2015" provides information about the future of the process. This declaration shows that the HDP-PKK-KCK-Kandil parties consent on continuing in Syria with the PYD [Democratic Union Party], but the PKK in Turkey will leave armed struggle while vacating itself and enter into politics. The 6 point steps declared by the government 2 months ago also included the steps regarding the politicization of the PKK.

The resolution process in Turkey is not only wanted by the government and HDP-PKK, but also by the USA who is the region's gendarme, as the "Resolution Process" is a sine qua non phase for the stability of Turkey, its development and most importantly for the constitutional change.

This is the reason why the disrupted resolution processes since the Özal era are required to be completed with concrete steps before the 2015 elections. Therefore the government and HDP-PKK-Kandil-Imrali will take more careful steps in order to keep the process going on.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Musa Bayoğlu