ANKARA
Turkish deputy prime minister has dismissed a pro-Kurdish party leader’s remarks that he is allegedly an obstacle in the ongoing solution process with an outlawed terrorist organization.
Pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party, or HDP, leader Selahattin Demirtas said recently that Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc was the "biggest obstacle" in the solution process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party or the PKK.
In a live interview on Turkey's private NTV channel, Arinc dismissed the opposition leader’s remarks. “The process is not moving ahead because of Demirtas’ personality alone. I will not talk about someone everyday; Demirtas might need it for promotion, but I will not allow it,” he said.
He also said the country's solution process was at a key stage that must proceed step-by-step, adding that more efforts were needed to finalize it.
"The solution process is at a key stage and it is proceeding ahead with the HDP party," he said.
He also slammed Demirtas for his statement that, "We do not trust the Turkish government." The deputy premier said both sides must trust each other. "(If you don’t trust,) then you are trying to end the process since you don't trust. You cannot solve anything without trust. I cannot ignore the HDP, because we have been in this process since the beginning," he said.
He said that the solution process with the PKK was working well after the HDP delegation visited Imrali, a Turkish island where the PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan, is jailed.
About the announcement of Ocalan’s message in which he invited the PKK to hold a congress to decide on the issue of laying down arms, Arinc said, "This is a call which should be implemented and I guess the PKK will make an announcement to lay down arms. Then the government will do its part," he said.
The “solution process” officially began in 2013 in an effort to bring an end to the decades-old conflict with the outlawed PKK, which is listed by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union as a terrorist organization.
Arinc dismisses claims of party shutdown
Deputy Prime Minister Arinc has also dismissed recent allegations that the government was to crack down on the main opposition political party, calling it "nonsense."
In a live interview on Turkey's private NTV channel, Arinc said the allegations put forward by opposition parties resembled a ploy, to serve as "political argument," ahead of general elections to be held in June.
"Shutting down a political party is contrary to Turkey's democracy," said Arinc.
On Wednesday, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), claimed that certain groups and individuals were preparing to shut down his party,
The CHP leader claimed to know the identities of said individuals.
"We are always against shutting down a party," said Arinc.
Turkey’s parliamentary speaker Cemil Cicek also addressed Kilicdaroglu’s allegations Thursday, pointing out the incompatibility of the shutting down of a political party with democracy.
- Return of ex-president to politics
The deputy prime minister also welcomed the remarks by Turkey's former president Abdullah Gul on a return to active politics.
"Gul is a very successful politician and I will greet his return with respect," said Arinc, recalling Gul's earlier statement that he would serve the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party if needed.
Arinc said he met with the former president a few weeks ago.
"I cannot remain uninterested in the AK Party," Arinc quoted Gul as saying.
When asked about Gul's place should he return to politics, Arinc replied that if he would not be a prime minister, he could become parliament speaker.
"If he becomes a parliament speaker, the parliament will win, politics will gain prestige and Turkey will win," Arinc said.
Gul is among the founders of the ruling AK Party along with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Gul served as the 11th president of Turkey from 2007 to 2014.
