BDP and PKK leadership must be involved in peace talks, says Demirtaş

Written on February 2, 2013 by Editor in BDP, Kurdistan, PKK, Turkey

KT News:

Selahattin Demirtaş

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş yesterday denied Turkish media reports that a delegation of three Kurdish politicians (Ahmet Türk, Ayla Akat and Sırrı Sakık) was about to visit jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan on his Imrali island prison.

In a statement, Demirtaş said: “We request that you do not pay heed to such reports unless confirmed by our political party. Reports about a delegation going to İmralı to hold talks with Öcalan are completely groundless”.

Demirtaş has argued that the BDP chairpersons should also be allowed to meet with Öcalan. Earlier this week he called on the Turkish state to involve the BDP leaders and the PKK leadership based in the Qandil Mountains in the negotiations. The first round of peace talks, held last month, involved just Ocalan and MIT (Turkish intelligence) officials.

In a statement to a news agency in Erbil, the PKK Army Council (JVK) yesterday dismissed reports that it has any plans to meet with Turkish state representatives in Erbil. The Army Council said that it has no intention of surrendering or of being presed into doing anything against its wishes.

These two statements add to the uncertainty about the timing of a second round of peace talks.