Unfortunately, no correct fixation regarding the February 28th Dolmabahçe meeting had been brought forward by either of the sides.
Because, in some aspects, the complete and correct articulation of the point arrived neither served the purpose of AK Party nor Kurdish Movement right before the elections.
Thus, the point arrived at wasn’t the topic discussed by the public related with February 28th; rather, it had been the worries, to which both side’s mood of distrust had contributed, and the daring created by this. When the rumble of the sworn and obsessed opposition, who didn’t find the resolution idea and policy “suitable” to AK Party and the political environment in Turkey, is added on top of all that, the display becomes even more grim.
However, the point arrived at was “positive”.
In a sense, this is the faith of the Resolution Process in Turkey; the claims of “ we didn’t capitulate”, and in contrast, the upholstering of the road with natural and mutual capitulations in every interaction, meeting and common decision…
The most realistic diagnosis related with the February 28th meeting had come from Jonathan Powell, who conducted a similar resolution process with IRA and who is keeping tabs on the developments in Turkey.
He was stating the following in his interview with Cansu Çamlıbel from Hürriyet Newspaper:
“From now on, you’ve moved on to the buffer zone (no man’s land). Officially, you are at the edge of starting the political negotiations. I guess that after those 10 clauses in the agreement are discussed during PKK’s congress, you will start the negotiations. In my opinion, you’ve crossed that difficult bridge…”
He was also expanding his observations:
“You haven’t decided on how the armed conflict will end yet, however, sides are stating determination for this objective. If you manage to reach a position to say that the armed struggle had come to an end, like it happened in Spain or El Salvador, then it will be really difficult to return back from that point. You are not there yet, however; a willpower was declared to reach that point. This is a phase you’ve never managed to reach before. The authentic willpower declaration in the direction of disarmament is a completely new situation…”
A phase we’ve never managed to reach before…
This is the critical statement.
The authentic willpower declaration, where the conditions towards disarmament are completed, and the eve of disarmament…
This is the critical point arrived at…
It’s critical, because this shows that we are at least advancing. As for the distance covered; it’s the indicator that, no matter in which tempo, the pursuit and process is continuing.
Ireland's and Turkey's communities don't actually resemble one another. The roots and reasons of the conflicts in both countries are different. However, from the point of the identity demand, armed struggle and the resolution that will end this, there are many similarities.
In this sense, we should listen to Powell especially on two matters.
The first one is the matter of disarmament and the completion of this process, and expectations related with it.
Powell says, “When we signed the peace treaty in Northern Ireland, we only mentioned burying the weapons: however we didn’t talk over it in detail. It took us 9 years to implement the agreement completely, and 7 years to bury the weapons completely…”
These are important and realistic statements…
The following words should be a lesson to the ones, who are saying that there will be no peace or resolution with Erdoğan and AK Party in Turkey and who are supporting “first democracy, then peace”;
“Maybe a strong leader is not good for everything; but for peace, he is. It’s a great chance for peace that Erdoğan is willing to use a part of his political capital on peace. Because he is actually doing this by taking the risk of criticism, even while his party is entering elections…”
The importance of Powell’s words lie in his ability to only observe the dynamics of some matters, activate a political view, and, make a distanced analysis.
I had met with Powell in July 2011 at London, and, previously I’ve mentioned his still important words in this column;
“It was November 1997. We came together with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness. I didn’t shake their hands. Because I was full of hate… If you want to resolve an issue, then you have to learn not to see your enemy as the devil…”
