Turkish ruling party report on peace process: So far, so good

ANKARA

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (R) meets with the members of Wise Persons’ Commission. AA photo

The outcome of efforts exerted so far by members of the Wise Persons’ Commission, which is set to play a central role in a public-relations offensive to support a resolution to the Kurdish issue, is “positive,” according to a report by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The report drafted by Ankara deputy Yalçın Akdoğan, also a key adviser to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was presented at the meeting of the AKP’s Central Decision and Executive Council (MKYK). The meeting was chaired by Erdoğan and was followed by a meeting of the Central Executive Board (MYK) which was also chaired by the prime minister.

The report reviewed the 10-day work on the ground by the wise people since they first met with Erdoğan on April 4. Since then, the 63 members, who have been divided into seven sub-groups, have been holding various meetings in the seven geographical regions of the country.

AKP executives said the work by the commission was continuing “better than expected” and that the feedback from the public was “extremely positive.”

The MKYK also decided that visits to regions by deputies and ministers should be intensified in harmony with the schedule of the commission, with a special focus on the regions of Aegean and Mediterranean where support for the process is considerably lower, standing at 40 percent.

The groups are scheduled to work for a two-month period, but at the MKYK meeting, a consensus was reached for a possible extension of the work by the commission if needed.