Turkey's HDP voices opposition to any coalition gov’t that threatens resolution process


Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has voiced its opposition to any coalition government that threatens the "resolution process" to the conflict between the state and Kurdish militants.Co-Chairwoman Figen Yüksekdağ, whose party entered parliament for the first time in the June 7 general election, on Monday stressed that a democratic and peaceful solution of the Kurdish issue must be a priority of any government."We oppose any coalition government that would suspend the requests for democracy, equality, freedom and peace revealed in the election," she said at a press conference at the HDP's Ankara headquarters.The Justice and Development (AK) Party, which won 258 seats, is currently negotiating to find a coalition partner from either the Republican People's Party or the Nationalist Movement Party.The resolution process to end the 30-year conflict between Turkey and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) insurgents was initiated in 2013 and in February senior ministers met with HDP leaders officially for the first time.Separately, Yüksekdağ warned of Turkey's "drift" towards dangerous involvement in the conflict in Syria following Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's comments on Sunday that Turkey was ready for "any contingency" if its borders were threatened."There are efforts from a political ruling [party] to drift Turkey into the danger," Yüksekdağ said. "Turkey's democratic conscience should say 'stop this policy'."Clashes between ISIS militants and Syrian-Kurdish fighters have prompted a huge influx of refugees to Turkey in recent weeks.People's Protection Units, or YPG, is the military wing of the Syrian Democratic Union Party, or PYD, which Turkey considers a terrorist group along with Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.