In his weekly meeting with his lawyers, the Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan indicated that he had had a long discussion with a delegation from the Justice Ministry, ‘‘I am not against the democratic expansion; however, the methodology being implemented is wrong,’’ he said. Öcalan added that if the methodology was not determined correctly, the current mentality would take the Turkish Republic towards separation. He emphasised that Parliament would need to take a decision for a permanent solution.

‘The Justice Ministry Penal and Detention Affairs Director came here. I told him as well: if there isn’t a political solution then this issue cannot be resolved. He said to me, ‘‘if you behave we will improve your conditions.’’ They are telling me to be quiet, treating me like a child. However, they cannot trick me. I will not renounce my principles. My most important characteristic is that I stick to my principles. I am principled but also pragmatic.

Hürriyet (newspaper) wrote about it recently; ten conspiracies were attempted against me until 1996, it has probably become twenty by now. There were many attempts here also.  Despite all this I am maintaining my principled stance, I will persist with this stance. Everyone should know this. They tried to eliminate the Kurdish Freedom Movement by using me. But they did not calculate how principled I was. They cannot make me do this.’’

The main problem with the democratic expansion is that of methodology

‘‘Journalist Nuray Mert is saying that the democratic expansion is necessary but that the methodology is wrong. I agree, the democratic expansion is essential but the methodology is incorrect.  These are British policies, America is implementing them. The British have been ruling the world for four hundred years. On one hand the British are provoking the Kurds and on the other they are telling the State to suppress them, they are playing on both sides. This is the ‘hare and hound’ policy.

There is a seven year process which began with the AKP coming to power. This process was prepared sixty years ago. This process has two aims. The first aim is to eliminate radical Islam, the second is to eliminate the essence of the Democratic Free Kurdish Movement. The defection of Osman, Botan and such like from the PKK after 2002 is a known fact. These people defined themselves as liberal democrats. They wanted to eliminate me, to use my surname and eliminate the PKK... Now they are trying to use these people once again. However they cannot do a thing. None of them has any credibility in the eyes of the Kurdish people. They cannot come amongst the people.

Erdoğan is clever. However, they could not and will not be able to eliminate the Democratic Free Kurdish Movement. They were not successful in this.

What is important for us is to implement the correct policies. For forty years we have been dealing with the democratic construction of society, but the necessary organisation and education was not done.

I am not against the democratic expansion, but the methodology is wrong. The methodology must be determined correctly. It will not do if you put the cart before the horse. Will this do?  Will the cart move in this way, it won’t. This will damage the cart and the horse. The fundamental problem is that of methodology. This is what is needed before (changes in) law and regulation... they think they can solve the issue with these changes, they cannot. The repentance law is a trap, it is a provocation. This cannot be accepted. Not one person will return from Maxmur using this method. It must be accepted that this is a political issue and needs to be solved politically. There are fifty thousand deaths, they are calling this terror. Even in the war against Greece there were (only) five thousand deaths. In a situation where there are fifty thousand deaths, you cannot call this terror, there is a war going on. There are sides in a war and a resolution can only be concluded between these sides. This will happen with negotiations and dialogue. I am not insisting that I be the interlocutor, they can take the PKK as the interlocutor, if not the PKK then the DTP, if not the DTP then a delegation consisting of some PKK members and members of the public who are involved with the issue.’’

There are sides in a war and a resolution can only be concluded between these sides. This will happen with negotiations and dialogue. ‘If the correct methodology is identified I will do whatever I can for a resolution. If a positive environment is established I will ensure that the armed forces (guerrillas) retreat and position themselves appropriately. I still have the ability to do this, they have faith in me.

There are tens of groups in the PKK, the ones in the mountains are autonomous. Only I can control all of them and disarm them. For a permanent and definite resolution, I don’t know how, but Parliament must take a decision. For this I must also be given some rein. I indicated all of this in the Road Map.

I am not in a position to issue decisions and directives regarding war, I am only making assessments. I told the delegation that came here to see me, I am also telling the PKK and the DTP. The path of democratic politics must be opened. I am also appealing to Prime Minister Erdoğan; if the correct methodology is not identified and the path of democratic politics and a resolution not opened then just like how General Enver’s mentality shattered the Ottoman Empire, AKP’s current mentality will take Turkey towards separation and finish the AKP. Only blood will flow if the CHP or MHP come to power. I believe that Mr Erdoğan means well, I still want to believe this.

However, if the path for a democratic solution is not opened then the KCK will take its own path and decide on war or peace. I will not interfere from here. This would not be right.