Erdoğan, who launched the “Kurdish opening” this week, initiated the solution process in 2005 by vocalizing the notion of the “Kurdish question” during a speech he delivered in Diyarbakır. But prior to this date, in 1991, Erdoğan, who was then İstanbul provincial chairman of the Welfare Party (RP) and a member of the party's Central Decision and Administration Board (MKYK), requested his consultant Metiner to prepare a report on the Kurdish issue. The report was also presented to Necmettin Erbakan, chairperson of the RP at the time.
He afterwards stated in a Parliament speech that it was clear this issue could not be resolved with the traditional policies of the statist elites. He added that for 70 years Turkey had pursued racist, denial-oriented and assimilatory policies.
The report, which also explains the historical background of the question, analyzes the issue in three main topics: the “Southeast question,” the “Kurdish question” and the “terror question.” Concerning the Southeast question, the report says the problem stems from economic underdevelopment, which should be eliminated. The Kurdish question is considered to be a question of identity, which resulted from the denial of ethnic identity and policies of assimilation. The report also cites ways to resolve this issue, such as recognizing ethnic identity, granting democratic and cultural rights, and providing equal citizenship to everyone. With regard to the terror question, the report underlines that some democratic and cultural steps should be taken in order to eliminate the grounds from which the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fed, as well as fighting against the PKK militarily. The report states that ignoring the Kurdish people would bring many losses to Turkey and would also strengthen the PKK, and recommends democratic steps to be taken despite the ongoing terrorism. The report rejects any demands for a separate state, federation or autonomy.
Commenting on the report he had prepared, Metiner said the report's offers are in line with the advice the prime minister is recommending today. “It has been 18 years [since I prepared this report], and the things I wrote then are starting to be accepted today.”
