BDP (Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Gültan Kışanak and DTK (Democratic Society Congress) co-chair Ahmet Türk returned to Hewler Friday evening after the meeting in Kandil.

Speaking to the press following the visit to Kandil on Friday, Kışanak said that during the meeting executives of the KCK (Kurdish Communities Union) voiced their determination, as well as their concerns, criticism and expectations about the ongoing resolution process.

Kışanak said the meeting was positive and that they expected it to make a positive contribution to the democratic solution process. She remarked that the BDP-DTK delegation felt the need to meet with KCK executives after a meeting they have recently held with government officials.

Kışanak said the BDP-DTK delegation' meetings with government and KCK executives took place in relation with the recently increased tension in the resolution process, caused by the Lice attack, brutal police intervention in the protest demo in Amed, and some statements recently made by political circles.

She pointed out that the KCK executives they met with were determined to ensure the advancement of the proces but still had some concerns, criticism and expectations concerning the process. She called attention to the restrictions imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan's dialogue and contact with the outside world, and said that, "Öcalan was meant to have meetings with more people and circles after the beginning of the resolution process. However, his talks remained limited with those with the BDP delegation alone. Besides, the delegation of our party can still not pay regular visits to İmralı and it is being subjected to interventions before each visit to the Kurdish leader. We need to speak, discuss and come up with a solution to all these matters in the currently ongoing resolution process".

BDP co-chair said everyone had responsibilities for the advancement of the peace process, noting that some developments in the last months have however given negative signs.

Calling attention to the historic importance of the withdrawal of guerrillas from Turkish borders, Kışanak remarked that the government should have made efforts and taken steps by now to serve for the removal of the obstacles to democratic politics. She criticized the ongoing imprisonment of thousands of Kurdish politicians, the ongoing construction of dams and guard posts in the Kurdish region, the increase in the number of village guards hired and the brutalization of demonstrators by police. She underlined that “the Lice attack, in which one person was killed and ten others were wounded, created some difficulties in the process, as well as the statements of PM Erdoğan who said during the meeting with wise people's commission that the government had no projects on the mother tongue issue nor considered removing the election threshold”. She remarked that the attitude of the PM excluded the political expectations from the process.

She added that both sides they have met with, government officials and KCK executives, desired to keep the resolution process going.

Kışanak and Türk have returned to Turkey on Saturday after having another meeting with Kurdistan Federal Region PM's advisor Sami Herguşi and KDP politburo member Kemal Kerküki Friday evening.