PM ERDOĞAN: WE WILL WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OPPOSITION

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan received the leader of the Republican People's Party, or CHP, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in a meeting in Ankara to discuss the opposition views on the fight against terrorism in Turkey. Responding to questions from a number of newspapers' editor-in-chief's in a simultaneous broadcast on atv and ahaber, Erdoğan referred to the package presented by CHP as 'an evaluation and diagnosis, more so than a proposal'.

"I want to discuss CHP's approach from a number of aspects. First of all, I find CHP's approach to be a positive step. The second issue is that the proposal package put forth by the party chairman and his colleague was not a proposal package. They even said themselves, 'Yes, this is not a proposal package'. This was an evaluation and a diagnosis. The suggestion made was to establish a negotiations commission, however the MHP (Nationalist Movement party) leader blew that proposal into the water."

OUR PROPOSAL: The Prime Minister went on to explain that he offered another proposal. "I said, let me make another suggestion. As CHP and AKP, let's come together to work on the issue. The MHP and BDP are not positively engaging the matter so let's begin working together as the main party in power and the main opposition. Let's see where we are lacking as the government in power and let's try to eradicate the situation."

(In response to a question on the new CHP) My greatest wish is for the situation right now to continue and become stronger. That's why I made that suggestion. In fact, we should be doing the same thing on a number of issues. If the party in power begins working with the main opposition and we are able to collaborate, then the remaining opposition parties will understand they are in error. How could it not work if we are sincere? I have no biases and no postulations. Let's take a concrete step together on this issue."