Good Party to support motion on cross-border ops, CHP yet to finalize decision

Right-wing opposition Good (İYİ) Party will vote in favor of a motion to extend the state's authority to launch cross-border military operations in northern Iraq and Syria for another two years, the party's chairwoman said, whereas the main opposition CHP is yet to finalize its decision on the issue.

Wednesday October 20 2021 08:15 pm

Duvar English

Good (İYİ) Party leader Meral Akşener on Oct. 20 paid a visit to main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at the CHP headquarters, during which the two discussed major issues on Turkey's agenda, one of which is a return to the parliamentary system.

“There are serious problems in every area. Turkey needs to get rid of these problems and needs to draft a new road path for itself,” Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters during a joint press conference after the meeting.

The two leaders also answered a question with regards to their parties' stance on a motion seeking to extend the state's authorization to launch cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria.

Akşener said that her party will back the motion, while Kılıçdaroğlu said the issue is yet to be discussed by the CHP Central Executive Board (MYK).

“We form a [inner-party] team ahead of the submission of all the motions to parliament. The team consists of our colleagues that are experts with regard to the issue. They prepare a report and share it with lawmakers. We have undertaken this work [already], and we will give a 'yes' vote with our criticism remaining as a result of the report,” Akşener said

As for Kılıçdaroğlu, he said: “Our colleagues have held preliminary meetings. We will discuss [the issue] at the MYK and release our decision at parliament [whether to vote in favor of the motion or not]."

The Turkish presidency on Oct. 20 submitted the motion to parliament to allow the Turkish military to carry out cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for another two years, from Oct. 30, 2021, until Oct. 30, 2023.

The motion stated that the risks and threats posed by ongoing conflicts near Turkey's southern land borders "continue increasingly."

Turkey has launched three cross-border operations into Syria since 2016, announcing its plans to establish a “safe zone.” The “safe zone” comprises areas under direct Turkish rule – Tel Abyad, Jarablus, and Afrin – and Idlib, which is under Turkey’s military protection.

Turkey regularly launches airstrikes into northern Iraq, saying that it has been targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)'s Qandil stronghold. Iraq has been condemning Turkey's operations on its soil, saying that they amount to a violation of its sovereignty.

Topics Turkey Syria Akşener Kılıçdaroğlu Iraq