Turkey’s Erdogan confirms 'political softening' with pro-Kurdish party
The statement comes amid a public debate on the possible revival of a process aiming to settle the country’s 40-year-old Kurdish problem through peaceful means.
ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on Monday that a new period of detente in Turkish politics was underway after a rare handshake occurred between his top nationalist ally and pro-Kurdish DEM Party members.
“Turkey has recently entered a period of political softening,” Erdogan said in a televised speech after a cabinet meeting.
“Efforts to find common ground, particularly on national issues, have increased among political actors,” he added.
The remarks come amid an ongoing public debate on the possible revival of a process aiming to settle the country’s 40-year-old Kurdish problem through peaceful means after Devlet Bahceli, Erdogan’s top ally and chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), shook hands with Kurdish nationalist lawmakers from the DEM Party during the opening session of the Turkish parliament on Oct. 1.
