The session also focused on finding a peaceful solution to the problem, and the majority of the parliamentary members took turns voicing support for the process, underlining the burden that falls on both sides of the problem.
European Commissioner Stefan Füle said at the “Dialogue for peaceful solution to the Kurdish problem” in Strasbourg that “the successful completion of peace talks will speed up Turkey’s EU membership negotiations.”
“We underlined that finding a solution to the Kurdish issue requires the widest contribution,” he said. “The discussions are of historic importance, and constitute a great window of opportunity for ending terrorism.”
The Kurdish community was also called on to distance itself from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and to denounce all violence for a better chance at peace.
EU Presidency Minister Lucinda Creighton’s assured EU’s stance against “all forms of terrorism.”
“The EU condemns all forms of terrorism and works closely with Turkey against it,” Creighton said.
Members of the Parliament also encouraged Turkey and Kurdish communities to not “distract” themselves from peace, despite opposing attempts from factions that do not want peace to come.
The killing of three Kurdish women on Jan. 9 in Paris was brought up by countless members, with the majority of them labeling the acts as an attempt to derail talks.
Creighton said obstacles remained, including sides that oppose peace, but both sides “should not allow” such acts to distract the process. The role of the solution process in Turkey’s accession plans was also touched upon during the session, with Füle expressing a strong relation between the two ambitions.
Few parliamentary members showed discontent in including the issue of Turkey’s accession in the debate, with members citing Turkey’s outspoken disappointment of recent European reports on the development of the country.
The session closed with Creighton’s speech that focused on the need to achieve “a much-needed break through.”
“Settling the conflicts in our neighborhood is not just in our interest, but in Turkey’s as well,” Creighton said. “It is important that all EU institutions and all members’ states will be watching the progress very closely.”
Both parties were called on to contribute to the process, with Turkey’s recent political and judicial reports garnering positivity among some the members while speakers remained skeptical on the government’s recent human rights track.
The recent arrest of journalists and arrests of politicians for speaking Kurdish during campaigns were cited by various members.
Turkish government was called to contribute toward “a sustainable ongoing dialogue with Kurdish representatives” by overcoming human rights problems that have surfaced in the country in the last couple of years.
The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) welcomed such support from 42 EU parliamentary deputies who spoke at the session, Nazmi Gür, a party official told the Daily News on the phone.
After the session, BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş held a press meeting.
“We find the dialog process started by then Turkish government meaningful and important,” Demirtaş said a day earlier.
The initiative was not a weakness of the government but a step forward which should be supported, he said.
If the Kurds can separate themselves from the PKK, they can reasonably move forward without being represented by a group that has been labeled as a terrorist group.
ReplyDelete-Alex Canan