Diyarbakır MP Çandar: 'Let's embrace principle of 'two nations, one state' with the Kurds'

People's Equality and Democracy Party (HEDEP) Diyarbakır MP Cengiz Çandar, during the Parliamentary Budget and Planning Committee, addressed Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, saying, "When you go to Azerbaijan, you say 'one nation, two states,' but if you could say 'two nations, one state' when you come here, you would make a significant change." Çandar spoke following Fidan's presentation in the committee meeting when opposition party members took the floor to criticize and pose questions. 

Çandar indicated a lack of progress in foreign policy despite the efforts of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, stating, "The outcomes of the summit in Riyadh, which are frequently referenced, don't seem to have much impact when you look at the assessment of Israeli institutions. Israelis are quite satisfied with the results of the Riyadh summit; they believe nothing substantial came out of it. We haven't presented a situation suitable for our potential, neither within NATO, among our allies, European institutions to which we belong, nor in terms of our regional influence."

"Navy Commander speaking like Navy Commander of Russia"

In his speech, Çandar also made a reference to a statement by Navy Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, asking Hakan Fidan, "Did you delegate authority to the Navy Commander?"

Çandar highlighted that Tatlıoğlu, by stating that the Ukraine-Russia war, which began in 2022, marked a new era in the geopolitical struggle in the Black Sea, mentioned, "As you know, NATO is trying to take some measures in the Black Sea, but we express that we will take these measures ourselves in the Black Sea and declare that we do not want NATO or the United States in the Black Sea." Çandar pointed out that these words fall within the purview of the duties of the Foreign Minister.

Çandar asked, "Did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegate authority? How is the Navy Commander making such statements?"

"It is evident that we have an issue with NATO, and we are saying, 'We don't want NATO in the Black Sea' as if we are not a NATO country. Isn't our navy part of NATO? Countries like Romania and Bulgaria, with borders in the Black Sea, are NATO members, aren't they? How can such words be uttered? It would only make sense if it were said by the Navy Commander of Russia," he added. 

Çandar, stating that Turkey is in conflict with NATO in the Black Sea and perceives the United States as an adversary in Syria, asserted that Kurdish antagonism shapes Turkey's entire regional policy. He remarked, "No matter how much you oppose it, or say that it is the terrorist organization that you are against; it's about being anti-Kurdish."

Çandar questioned why, if the PYD is considered a terrorist organization, Turkey accepted the PYD leader in Ankara and Istanbul multiple times in 2013.

Çandar: "Of course they are not a terrorist organization"

The Diyarbakır MP further on stated: "Why did the highest levels of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs meet with them? Did they meet as representatives of a terrorist organization? The Süleyman Shah Tomb was relocated in 2015 with the help of the YPG, in collaboration with the YPG. Now, when did these organizations become terrorist organizations? Did they suddenly gain the status of a terrorist organization after 2013 and 2015?" In response to Çandar's question, AKP Izmir Deputy Yaşar Kırkpınar asked, "Are they not a terrorist organization?" When Çandar replied, "Of course, they are not, of course, they are not," AKP Elazığ Deputy Ejder Açıkkapı shouted, "Shame."

Reiterating that no country outside of Qatar and Turkey recognizes the PYD and YPG as "terrorist organizations," Çandar suggested to Hakan Fidan, "If you change our regional policy, you will mobilize tremendous power," hinting at the possibility of creating an opportunity for the resolution of the Kurdish issue, drawing on Turkey-Azerbaijan relations.

"Add to the principle of 'one nation, two states' the principle of 'two nations, one state'"

Çandar addressed the following words to Fidan: "For Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev articulated the principle of 'one nation, two states,' which both countries have accepted. Add to this principle (...) append the principle of 'two nations, one state.' In doing so, we not only secure the unity of the state and the territorial integrity of the country but also foster warm human, political, economic, commercial, and even military relations between our Kurdish citizens, considered an integral part of our state, and their compatriots in Syria and Iraq. This approach would enable us to develop our foreign policy and avoid hostile relations with our allies."

Upon these words, MHP Izmir deputy Taner Osmanağaoğlu began shouting, "He is engaging in separatism right now." HEDEP Şırnak deputy Nevroz Uysal Aslan responded to him, "You are the ones engaging in separatism, not us."

HEDEP Muş Deputy Sezai Temelli intervened, stating, "Your separatism has been exposed." Meanwhile, AKP Commission Chairman Mehmet Muş cut off Çandar's microphone, saying, "Your time is up."

Cengiz Çandar

Cengiz Çandar (born 1948) is a Turkish journalist, senior columnist, and a Middle East expert. He is the author of Turkey’s Neo-Ottomanist Moment - A Eurasianist Odyssey (Policy Series) (2021); Turkey's Mission Impossible: War and Peace with the Kurds (2020) and Mezopotamya Ekspresi- Bir Tarih Yolculugu (Mesopotamia Express- A Journey in History) (2012) which has been translated into various languages, including Kurdish (Sorani) and Arabic. Çandar has been elected an MP in the May 14 elections from Diyarbakır. 

(AEK/PE)