Speaking to Etkin News Agency (ETHA) about recent developments in the ongoing process for a solution to the Kurdish question, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş said the establishment of the Parliamentary Monitor Commission and the commission of wise people were important advancement in the ongoing process.

Demirtaş said the commissions however didn't meet the demand they highlighted at the beginning of the process for the establishment of a mechanism to ensure a legal assurance for the steps to be taken to ensure a peaceful and democratic solution is reached. Both commissions - he said - are concrete developments aimed at involving the parliament in the process and enabling legitimacy for its requirements.

Referring to the forth judicial reform package, BDP co-chair said it could partially remediate the existing problems in the country, adding, “These steps should be regarded as a part of the process that shall advance step by step. It should be intended to completely eliminate the anti-terror law but there needs to be some small steps to be taken before that”.

Asked about the constitution draft BDP presented to the Parliament, Demirtaş said this draft, which includes a second official language and local assemblies, was a must for the Kurdish people. “We do not expect or ask the AKP government to accept it for we will achieve our demands by continue to struggle. We promised our people that they would govern themselves and lead a free life with their own language and in their own territory. The proposals we presented in the constitution draft are the formulated forms of the promises we made to our people”, he underlined.

Remarking that BDP would have a different role in the three-stage solution process, Demirtaş said “We have played a facilitating role between government, Kandil (where the guerrillas executives are) and Imralı (the prison where Ocalan is held) in the the first stage which has been described as ceasefire and withdrawal. We have made a contribution to enable all sides to understand each other and to overcome the issue of trust. Should this phase be followed by the second, which is the constitutional and legal process, there will arise a need to make constitutional reforms in which we will play our part as interlocutors. Should the second phase also be accomplished, it will be followed by the third, the process of normalization, when we will play a part in creating a trust environment between the sides and getting involved in the process as interlocutors”.

BDP co-chair stated that the revolutionary circles in Turkey would need to shoulder a significant responsibility in the organization of the peace process in the western side of the country. He remarked that it is needed to carry out a strong organization across Turkey, with the participation of HDK (People's Democratic Congress) in particular, to give the message that Turkish revolutionary and Kurdish movements are the essential factors to guarantee the peace process and not to allow it to be disturbed by anyone. The only way to defeat the AKP dominance on public is to create mechanisms to gather the peoples of Turkey together, he added.

Noting that Kurds were much stronger and felt they were standing closer to peace than ever, Demirtaş said, “They haven't managed to make us surrender despite all the attacks they launched against us using all their power and force".