Co-chairs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) shared their views and assessments following the statement made by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan through his lawyers earlier today.

The statement by HDP Co-chairs Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli laid emphasis on the “third way” line and said that Öcalan’s remarks and the politics HDP has pursued so far coincide with each other.

The co-chairs pointed out that there would be no change in HDP’s election strategy and tactical steps with regard to Istanbul elections to be held on 23 June.

The statement pointed out the following points;

“As is highlighted in the Third Way Strategy and call presented by Mr. Öcalan, HDP is not a party to the polarization politics between Cumhur (Public) and Millet (Nation) Alliances. It cannot be ignored that a form of politics that describes everything as ‘black-white’ with a language promoting conflict and polarization, that is built on contrasts, that is sustained in company with a tension strategy, and that dictates makes all the problems chronic, including the Kurdish question, exhausts the means of democratic solution and gradually destroys the potential for co-existence.

To make a convincing language and the democratic politics form prevail over the arrogant and dismissive language that left its mark in the pro-election process, and to replace the politics that promotes conflict and polarization, it would be the initial steps of a new political climate to come up with a solution to the problems through democratic negotiations and to try to develop the culture of democratic reconciliation.

HDP IS THE THIRD WAY

The wider political perspective of Mr. Öcalan’s statement is very clear and says “you are the third way”. What HDP refers to with ‘the third way’ is the way of democracy, the way of peace, the way where all social circles meet on the common ground of democracy. Mr. Öcalan is also insistent on HDP’s democratic politics form and suggests that the solution of Turkey’s political and social problems should not be treated in a manner to reduce it only to Istanbul election, which is a current development.

NO CHANGE IN ELECTION STRATEGY AND TACTICS

There is no change in question in HDP’s strategy and tactical steps with regard to Istanbul election, on the basis of a stance for a determined continuation on the strategy of the ‘Third Way’ and not being a party to the two historic blocs.”