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Kurdish initiative not good enough, BDP tells Barzani
The Iraqi Kurdish leader also met with representatives of business circles and a group of journalists over the weekend. BDP leader Selahattin Demirtaş, parliamentary group chairman Bengi Yıldız and the former chairman of now-defunct Democratic Society Party (DTP), Ahmet Türk, raised their concerns about the government's initiative, which aims to solve Turkey's Kurdish problem, during a meeting with Barzani.
The BDP officials claimed that the initiative does not include any structural reform and that the government is not sincere in its efforts, but Barzani has given his full support to the initiative.
After the meeting while answering reporters’ questions Demirtaş made it clear that they think differently than Barzani:
“[Supporting the government’s initiative] is Barzani’s personal view. We still think that the democratization initiative does not aim for real democratization and radical reforms, which are necessary,” he said.
Demirtaş added that they are happy about improving diplomatic, economic, cultural and social relations with northern Iraq, mentioning this to Barzani as well.
During the meeting with journalists when Sedat Ergin from the Hürriyet daily asked him about the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declaration in which it announced that it ended its unilateral decision concerning a de-escalation of violence, Barzani got upset.
Ergin said Barzani got upset because the PKK made this declaration when he was visiting Ankara.
“The Kurdish leader openly said he is against all forms of terrorism, but he did not say explicitly what kinds of measures can be taken against the PKK,” Ergin said.
Barzani on Saturday in İstanbul also met with the president and representatives of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) to discuss boosting economic ties.
The president of TÜSİAD, Ümit Boyer, stated that in order to improve economic relations, they decided to revitalize the Iraqi working group of TÜSİAD: “Northern Iraq is an important market for us and has great potential. We think that improving economic relations will serve the development of both sides of the border,” she said, adding that they also have security concerns.
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