Celalettin Can, a member of the Wise Persons Commission set up by the Government at the beginning of the process of resolution, said that the AKP government has frozen the process and would continue its policy of incitement after the election. Can warned: "The AKP will do anything to avoid defeat, we must be very careful."

Celalettin Can assessed recent developments, after the Dolmabahçe Palace accord announced on 28 February. He said that instead of taking the required steps, the government had adopted a discourse of incitement, encapsulated by deputy PM Yalçın Akdoğan's recent comment: "Theses talks are being conducted in order for the PKK to disarm, not for the HDP to exceed the threshold." Can added that Akdoğan's statement confirmed that the AKP was not interested in finding a solution.

'KCK is seeking peace while the AKP gets tough'

Can continued, saying: "Unfortunately, the government has adopted an increasingly tough line that has halted the process." Can added that while the KCK was seeking peace, the AKP was talking tough as part of the election campaign. Can said he thought the AKP would continue this stance after the election, one of the reasons for this being that the HDP would exceed the threshold.

'Internal Security Law to be used after elections'

Can said he believed the government would launch a crackdown after the elections, using the Internal Security Law. "If the HDP exceeds the threshold, then they will use this law to crack down on the Kurdish people," he said.

'We must be very cautious as regards the AKP'

Can said that despite the sensible, pro-peace discourse of the KCK and HDP, the AKP was persisting with its incitement and considering military intervention in Syria. "The Chief of the General Staff, General Özel, went on sick leave in order to avoid this possibility. The army does not want to get involved in Syria. In my opinion, the AKP will do anything to stay in power. That is why we must be very cautious and avoid being drawn into provocations."

Monitoring body should be set up

Can called for the process of resolution to be put back on track and stressed the importance of the formation of a monitoring body in this process. He said that such a body should have a legal status, unlike the Wise Persons Commission, members of which could be prosecuted if the process collapsed entirely.