The commission established in the Turkish parliament to resolve the Kurdish question is visiting the prison island of Imrali today to speak with the imprisoned PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan. The visit is part of the work of the “Commission for National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy.”
The delegation includes the deputy chair of the DEM Party, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, the deputy chair of the MHP, Feti Yıldız, and AKP member of parliament Hüseyin Yayman. The delegation traveled to the prison island in the Sea of Marmara by helicopter.
According to the Commission, the aim of the meeting is to document Öcalan’s views on key political issues. Among other things, the discussion will focus on the background to the founding of the PKK, proposals for resolving the Kurdish question, previous peace initiatives, and legislative processes.
The decision to send a delegation to Imrali was preceded by a lengthy debate within the commission. At its 18th meeting last Friday, a majority vote was finally taken to allow an official meeting with Abdullah Öcalan.
Representatives of the AKP, MHP, DEM Party, EMEP, and TIP parties voted in favor of the visit. The largest opposition party, the CHP, however, did not participate in the vote or in the formation of the delegation. Party representatives left the chamber before the vote. Subsequently, the New Path group also announced that it would not send any members to the meeting with the Kurdish leader.