Parliamentarian Handshakes Cause for Hope

Unlike 1994, when there were last pro-Kurdish MPs in parliament, no one attempted to make any declaration in Kurdish.

Historical handshakes

A gesture that attracted attention was the encounter of pro-Kurdish and nationalist MPs. Widely predicted to clash, representatives of both sides surprised the nation by shaking hands.

MPs of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), Ahmet Türk, Aysel Tugluk, Sirri Sakik, Osman Özcelik and Hasip Kaplan shook hands with Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and several other party members.

When Türk was asked why he did not go to Deniz Baykal, chairperson of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he said, "They should have come to us."

MHP: Normal and civilised

MHP MP Mehmet Sandir commented on the hand shakes, saying, "What happened in parliament was what should happen. In the 22 July elections, the Turkish people elected its government and the opposition to control that government. Turkey is a country of rules and institutions."

Deniz Bölükbasi of the same party said: "As long as everyone moves within the limits of the constitution, we are not going to create conflict with anyone. We did what normal and civilized people should do. I hope that the atmosphere of compromise we witnessed at the ceremony will continue."

DTP: Peace rather than guns

Hasip Kaplan of the DTP said, "We have different opinions, but that does not mean that we cannot talk about this country's basic problems. He emphasised that they hoped that in this term there would be no sound of guns, but rationality, logic, fraternity, peace and democracy.

Sirri Sakik of the same party commented, "It was a good beginning. I hope it continues like this."

AKP and CHP reserve judgment

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also chairperson of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), said, "I hope this is promising."

Deniz Baykal, chairperson of the Republican People's Party (CHP), said, "It must go beyond tokens."

Media enthusiastic

The front pages of most newspapers covered these historical handshakes, as well as the fact that the DTP parliamentarians pledged in Turkish. Much attention was also given to the outfits of the female MPs.

Headlines such as "The image that Turkey has been missing" (Sabah), "A warm beginning to parliament" (Milliyet), "May it end like it started" (Radikal), "Historical handshakes in parliament" (Vatan) and "The beginning was good" (Hürriyet) in mainstream Turkish newspapers showed the approval of the media. (NZ/TK/AG)