Speaking at a press conference at Feqiye Teyran Park in Van on Thursday, Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Mardin deputy Ahmet Türk said that Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan has initiated a new phase by paving the way for democratic politics and a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question.

Türk pointed out that the Kurdish people have made and will be making all kinds of sacrifice to achieve peace. He listed actions like the release of Turkish public officers and the withdrawal accross the border. “It is the government's turn to take a step in this historic process which will witness our resistance should the Turkish state deceive us”, he underlined.

Referring to the Kurdish struggle in history, citing the Kurdish resistance in the period of 12 September military coup, Türk remarked that, “Kurds have never wanted war or sided with it but the cruel policy of the system didn't allow them to express themselves. In the historic process currently going on, the government says that it will never bargain with Kurds. However, it is not a bargaining we demand. We just want what is ours, i.e. our rights which will liberate not only Kurds but also Turks. This is the reason why this historic opportunity shouldn't be missed and wasted”.

Referring to the attitude of the CHP (Republican People's Party) and MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) towards the peace process, Türk said that “MHP and CHP are trying to sabotage the process. The attitude of MHP will not hurt us but that of CHP, whose leader is a Kurd, saddens us”.

Türk added that peace in Turkey will not be reached unless Kurds gain a status and their leader Öcalan is liberated.