Bosses urge peaceful end to Kurdish issue

ISTANBUL

TÜSİAD chief Yılmaz speaks at the association’s 43rd General Assembly. AA Photo

A group of renowned businesspeople, including the newly elected and outgoing heads of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), have voiced their support for the ongoing peace process.

Muharrem Yılmaz, who took over as the top business organization’s head from Ümit Boyner, said at the association’s 43rd General Assembly meeting yesterday that the efforts for a new charter could help the process.

 “We hope that Parliament’s Constitution Conciliation Commission can complete the work on the new constitutional draft. Our greatest expectation from these efforts is to have a charter that will focus on individuals, provide unlimited spheres of rights and liberties, protect the balance between powers and provide an independent and impartial judiciary,” Yılmaz said.

“The new Constitution will be an important step for the solution of Turkey’s chronic problems. The developments over the last month show that our public sides with all legitimate methods in order to achieve peace in society. In light of this, we support all the efforts made for ending terrorism and solving the Kurdish issue,” Yılmaz said.

TÜSİAD’s now-former chairwoman Boyner, who is known for her criticism of the government, also expressed her hopes for the peace process.

“The winds of peace with regard to the Kurdish issue cause a glimmer of hope that will not be extinguished by the murders in Paris. I am very pleased to see the increasing hints implying that our 30 years of national nightmare will come to an end. We may have different reasons for reaching a solution. However, nearly all segments of society favor the solution. They say ‘It is time to negotiate and silence the arms,’” Boyner said.

Koç Holding Chairman Mustafa Koç also said he regarded the peace process as a crucial step. “I hope the peace process will not be interrupted and negotiations will go on. It has been seen that [the problem] cannot be solved with arms,” Koç said.