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Turkey’s Kurdish Initiative In Regional Context

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ambition to be “peacemaker” on the Kurdish issue has to be linked to Turkish policies in Iraq and Syria, writes Cengiz Candar.
Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan makes his address during a meeting with the 'wise people' commission in Istanbul April 4, 2013. Erdogan chaired an inaugural meeting of the 'wise people' commission, who will be consulted on a peace process with Kurdish militants. The commission is made up of academics, journalists and performing artists, and established by the government to promote the peace process nationwide. REUTERS/Metin Pala/Pool (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTXY8E6

One of the most striking successes of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in Turkey has to be its masterful management of the most exciting agenda item of the country which the public refers to as the “peace process” instead of  the “solution process.”

As with many other issues, here too, the great communicator is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself. In an appeal to the news media — that sounded more like an instruction — Erdogan wanted the steps he is taking to be seen as a “solution process.” Now he is working on being perceived as the leader who is taking his country step-by-step toward much desired peace. As perception becomes a reality, it will undoubtedly be added to Erdogan's accomplishments.

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