The meeting was held at the DSP headquarters in Ankara. Türker welcomed Erdoğan at the door of the building. Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek, Interior Minister Beşir Atalay and Public Order and Safety Undersecretary Muammer Güler accompanied the prime minister. The meeting lasted one-and-a-half hours.
Erdoğan sent letters to leaders of political parties requesting a meeting to discuss the rising tide of terrorism in the country over the weekend. He sent letters to main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, DSP head Türker, Grand Unity Party (BBP) leader Yalçın Topçu and Felicity Party (SP) head Numan Kurtulmuş.
The prime minister did not, however, send out letters to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli or pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Chairman Selahattin Demirtaş because, according to the AK Party, they “benefit from terrorism.” Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Türker said he believes that the prime minister should meet with the MHP and the BDP since terrorism is not an issue that can be solved by a single party. Türker added that he had previously announced that his party will vote against the constitutional changes which are set to be voted on Sept. 12. A meeting between Erdoğan and CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu has been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday at Kılıçdaroğlu’s chambers in the Parliament building.
