Following their meeting with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan on 28 December, the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) İmralı Delegation that decided to contact other political parties upon Öcalan’s proposal, today met with Özgür Özel, the chairperson of the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
According to the report of the Mezopotamya Agency, the meeting began at Özel’s room at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
The meeting was also attended by CHP General Secretary Selin Sayek Böke, Deputy Chairperson Gökçe Gökçen and Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairperson Gökhan Günaydın. 
What happened?
After a period of 43 months, on 23 October 2024, the PKK leader met with DEM member of parliament Ömer Öcalan, who is also his nephew, within the scope of a family visit. During this meeting, Öcalan emphasized that the policy of isolation continued and said, “If the circumstances form, I possess both the theoretical and practical power to draw this process from a platform of conflict and violence to a legal and political platform”.
Following the meeting, the Asrın Legal Office, representatives of Öcalan, stated that a new, six-month, visit-ban had been imposed on Öcalan on 6 November 2024.
Then, at the parliamentary group meeting of his party held on 26 November, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairperson Devlet Bahçeli said, “We expect a face-to-face contact between İmralı and the DEM group”.
Responding to Bahçeli’s call, DEM Party Co-Chairperson Tuncer Bakırhan said, “As co-chairs, we want to meet with Mr. Öcalan and contribute to peace in this country”.
On the same day, DEM Party filed an application with the Ministry of Justice to formally meet with Öcalan.
A month later, the Ministry of Justice responded positively to DEM’s application and Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder travelled to İmralı Island on 28 December and met with Öcalan.
According to Buldan and Önder, during the meeting, Öcalan “discussed ways to find a permanent solution to the Kurdish issue”.
With the addition of Ahmet Türk to Önder and Buldan, the delegation began to hold meetings with political parties.
The delegation has so far met with the National Movement Party (MHP), the Future Party (Gelecek Partisi), the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi). (TY/NHRD)
