Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan has indicated the importance of legal guarantees, making a self-criticism on account of issuing an appeal before such guarantees were forthcoming. Öcalan also criticised the political arrests, warning: “No one has the right to expect anything from us until these are implemented, in the name of public order or anything else.” Öcalan added: "We have a strong programme. Preparation should be aimed at contesting the elections as a party," he said.

Istanbul MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder, who was part of the HDP delegation that met Abdullah Öcalan on Imrali island told ANF about the meeting.

How did the meeting with Mr Öcalan go after quite a long interval, and with an enlarged delegation?

Mr Öcalan was very happy to see Hatip [Dicle] for the first time for more than 20 years. Mr Dicle assessed the latest KCK arrests and the mentality behind them. Hatip presented Mr Öcalan with a dossier on the Economy Workshop and on work pertaining to local administrations..

'He made a self-criticism for issuing an appeal without legal guarantees being secured’

From the press release we noticed Mr Öcalan’s self-critical approach. Could you elaborate on this please?

I think all leaders have something to learn from this. Most other leaders look for excuses or confess. For Mr Öcalan and his cadre self-criticism is an important mechanism. If the government had understood Mr Öcalan when he said: ‘I won’t deceive and I won’t be deceived’ more progress would have been made as regards peace and democracy.

He added that in subsequent stages legal guarantees are essential and that without these it would not be possible to reach the objective of peace and democracy. He said: 'We remember what happened to those who came to Habur. Some of them are still in prison.’ He also criticised the building of military posts and dams after the guerrillas began to withdraw.

'Nothing from us until the draft is implemented’

Were the protests of 6-7 October mentioned? And the arrests that followed?

He said the arrests were unacceptable. He said: ‘no one has the right to expect anything from us until guarantees are implemented, in the name of public order or anything else.” But he emphasised that if the draft was implemented all these problems would be overcome administratively and permanently.

He also called on other structures, first and foremost Hüda-Par, to prevent provocations. He said that the criteria was a commitment to democratic struggle and dialogue and stressed the importance of awareness of provocations.

Mr Öcalan also said that no one had the right to expect anything from us until these were implemented, in the name of public order or anything else. He also warned of the involvement of the National Security Council and special forces, adding that this increased the risk of a coup that would overthrow the government.

What is in the draft?

A "Peace and Democratic Negotiation Process Draft” has been mentioned. What are the details of this?

There are 4 main headings in the draft. The first of these contains 9 articles regarding ‘method’. We can summarise this as meaning that all stages of the process should be documented and that everything should be done on the basis of a commitment to democratic politics in order to ensure that the process has a firm foundation.

What are the other headings?

After resolving the issue of method, we see that Mr Öcalan has analysed the history and philosophy of the question to a degree that would embarrass virtually all the universities in the country. There is also the question of a secretariat. I will mention the 11 articles regarding how the commissions will function as regards method:

-The nature of Kurdish-Turkish relations in the Middle East throughout history.

-The internal and external causes of increasing Kurdish-Turkish problems and their connection to capitalist modernity.

-The need for a fundamental change in the nature of the state as regards Kurdish-Turkish relations. The transformation of this into a means to achieve power. The use of violence and the problems this creates.

-The systematic character of resolution and its inevitable effect on the Middle East

The link of resolution to peace and universal democracy. The unavoidable reforms that will be set in motion in the structure of state and society.

-Constitutional and legal results of resolution.

-Security dimension of resolution.

-Social-cultural effects of resolution.

-Women’s freedom dimension and ecological outcomes.

-Free and equal recognition of all communities that have been denied and ostracised throughout the years of the Republic.

-A new, pluralist democratic system.

The 3rd heading is: "principal matters on the agenda” which lists 40 basic questions, findings and proposals. This will be a reference point that will render speculation such as "Öcalan is failing the democracy test”, or "The Kurdish political movement is being deceived” redundant. By mentioning a few headings it will become clear what is meant.

-The correct definition of democratic politics and its content.

-Concept, definition and recognition of identity. A pluralist, democratic, egalitarian resolution with legal guarantees.

-The correct definition of the national and regional dimensions of a democratic resolution.

-Definition of citizenship. Legal and Free citizen.

-Connection of resolution to socio-economic system and its re-definition.

-Cultural pluralism and freedom.

-Mechanisms to ensure a settling with the recent past. Parliamentary mechanisms to be established.

I think these few headings are enough to give an idea of the content.

The 4th heading is an ‘action plan’ and has 6 articles. The most important characteristic of this is that it has dates and involves our having talks with Kandil and with the state-government. We will make this plan, into which Mr Öcalan put a lot of work, public. I think this will be sufficient to mobilise people who are not aware of what is going on.

After we have completed talks with Kandil and the state we will probably publish the original document.

Öcalan main instigator of the process

How do you see the government reacting to this?

This is a significant opportunity for the government to grasp with both hands. Mr Öcalan has shown the whole world he is the main force behind the democratic efforts. The important thing is to mobilise for democracy rather than putting trust in martial law. Our party will contest the elections on a manifesto of a democratic peaceful resolution.

‘No electoral threshold will have any meaning’

You mentioned the elections. Did Mr Öcalan say anything about them? What does he expect from the people?

Mr Öcalan said: ‘We have a strong programme. Preparation should be aimed at contesting the elections as a party. If this programme is explained to the people no threshold will have any meaning."

Talks

When did he last speak to the state delegation and when will you be holding new talks?

Mr Öcalan spoke to the state delegation 2 days ago. We will have several meetings with the authorities until Tuesday. We will then go to Kandil as a delegation. We will also visit Mr Öcalan again soon. He also said he is considering sending me with Leyla Zana to the South for a diplomatic tour and for the national congress.

'Kobane is the point reached by the Free Women’s perspective’

Mr Öcalan said: 'The whole world is watching what is happening in Kobane. It is the first struggle for honour in the 21st century and illustrates the point reached by our free women’s perspective.’