Voice Records of Talks between Government and PKK?

Voice records were published in the internet on Tuesday (13 September) that allegedly feature talks between representatives of the Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK) and officials of the Turkish Government. Established with the intent to organize the Kurdish people, the KCK is the umbrella organization that also includes the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). One of the voices supposedly belongs to National Intelligence Agency (MİT) Undersecretary Hakan Fidan.

The records were initially published by the Dicle News Agency (DİHA) on Tuesday morning. However, the news agency removed the records from publication again around midday, claiming that they did not post it on their website themselves. "The voice record was posted on our website by cracking our password in a virtual attack. As soon as we discovered the news we removed it from publication", DİHA announced. Meanwhile, also the Fırat News Agency had published the news which they then withdrew as well with an apology to their readers.

It was put forward that the voice of MİT Undersecretary Fidan was audible on the record as well as the voices of MİT Deputy Undersecretary Afet Güneş, KCK member Mustafa Karasu, PKK members Sabri Ok and Zübeyir Aydar and representatives of the coordinating countries. The identities of the English speaking representatives were not disclosed. It is not clear when the talk was held.

"We support negotiations"

The record reportedly includes the following conversation:

Ok: The government should not call and say on which mountains in which provinces the individuals are and say that they will smash them because we are in the process of solution.

Güneş: So how long are you going to keep them waiting on the mountains?

Ok: We want this problem to be solved as soon as possible, not within six or seven years.

Güneş: There is a very large scale of demands within the parameters for a solution starting from a number of simple requests to an amendment of the Constitution and the release of [imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah] Öcalan. It is out of the question to get done with these demands in three or five months or even in a year.

Ok: So why don't we prepare a short thing for you today.

Güneş: We will try to take it but as I said you will have to be finished by 6.30. However, I would appreciate if you did not write 15 pages.

Fidan: I am trying here to reflect the psychology, opinion and parameters of the political power the best I can from one side in a transparent manner. The model I proposed was a no-action period now. I am very sincere that this is also the opinion of the Prime Minister. We do not put this on the table as a parameter to gain time. We see a non-action period as a provider for the existing talks. In other words, we want the existing talks to be continued as a process of more systematic and more frequent negotiations and talks.

Parliamentary question from CHP

The news did not remain unnoticed in political circles either. Muharrem İnce, Deputy Chair of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), submitted a resolution of questions and requested Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to respond to the alleged talks between MİT and the European wing of the PKK.

İnce wants to know whether the voice records are correct and if talks on the alleged topics have been really held. "MİT Undersecretary Fidan who was supposedly part of the talk said 'I am the special representative of our esteemed prime minister'. What was that based on? For which topics did you appoint Fidan as special representative?" İnce asked. He also asked whether it was true that talks had been made with Öcalan on the prison island of İmralı. (AS/VK)