Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) group deputy chair and Iğdır deputy Pervin Buldan held a press conference in the parliament concerning the South Kurdistan motion the parliament is expected to discuss on Thursday.

The motion the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) presented in parliament on 4 October demands the one-year extension of its authorization to launch cross-border operations targeting the guerrilla-controlled Media Defense Areas in South Kurdistan. The government presented the motion despite the ongoing democratic resolution process initiated by Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and the unilateral ceasefire called by the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK).

Buldan pointed out that the parliament has started the new parliamentary year by presenting motions for war, and said this was related with the government's treatment of problems from the viewpoint of security policies.

BDP deputy remarked that the government's presenting a motion for conducting a war went contrary to the spirit of the peace process that is aimed at the achievement of a permanent non-conflict environment.

Buldan warned that the government would lead to further interruption of the resolution process by giving priority to motions for war rather than introducing democratic solution acts to the parliament.

She underlined that “The Parliament has so far passed numerous motions authorizing the government for cross-border operations which have however brought no solution but further pain and tears. The government unfortunately insists on following security policies and taking no lessons from the bitter experiences of the past. Why does the government need authorization for a cross-border operation if it means to resolve the Kurdish question?”, Buldan said and remarked that the government's attitude in this respect raised doubts and concerns over its earnestness about the resolution of the Kurdish issue.

The Parliament is responsible for building peace, not passing motions for war, Buldan underlined and remarked that the parliament's failure to do its part in the democratic resolution process was because of the government and its practices that have introduced no single step so far for the advancement and accomplishment of the peace process. She noted that the ongoing construction of military posts and dams, the employment of more and more village guards and the ongoing imprisonment of political prisoners were a consequence of the government's deadlock policy.

Buldan said the AKP government should retract the motion as immediate as possible, abandon its security policies and advance  negotiations with Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan to answer Turkey's need for democratisation and a solution to the Kurdish issue.

“Mr. Öcalan has recently sent a letter to the government and called for the advancement of talks in a new format. Is the government responding to this call by presenting a motion for a cross-border operation and a so-called democratisation package that introduces no steps serving democratisation?”, she added.

Buldan said it was important that the government make of the seriousness of the resolution process, underlining that Kurds will continue displaying democratic opposition in order to bring the government to a democratic point for the achievement of a solution to the Kurdish issue.

Underlining that BDP will vote against the motion should be brought to the general assembly of the parliament, Buldan called on the parliament to avoid passing the motion and being a party to deadlock policies.