Kurdish peace process expected to gain pace

ANKARA

‘We will strengthen the HDP in coordination with Demirtaş,’ Buldan says.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Parliamentary Head Pervin Buldan has said her party hopes the recent presidential election results will be good for the ongoing negotiation process to find a peaceful solution to Turkey’s long-running Kurdish problem.

Speaking one day after the election on Aug. 11, Buldan said she hoped the elections would bring good results for the peace process. President-elect, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also signaled new developments in the peace process, as it was one of the few issues he mentioned in his first speech after winning the presidential election on Aug. 10.

“We will continue to serve our nation for a better democracy and to make the resolution process rein,” Erdoğan said in his short victory speech at the ruling AKP’s election coordination center in Istanbul, referring to the peace process.

While commenting on the peace process, Buldan also praised the performance of the HDP’s presidential candidate, Selahattin Demirtaş, who finished third with 9.8 percent of votes in the election.

“We will strengthen the HDP in coordination with Demirtaş from now on.  When you take Turkey’s conditions into the consideration, his vote is high,” she added.

Buldan also said the HDP would take on the role of main opposition party after the presidential elections, criticizing the performance of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the elections.