HDP leaders meet US, European envoys amid tension with AKP

The co-leaders of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) have met with foreign ambassadors in Ankara to inform them about recent tension with the government, as clashes between militants and security officials have intensified. 

Co-chairs Selahattin Demirta? and Figen Yüksekda? met with Iranian Ambassador to Turkey Ali Reza Bikdeli on July 29, with U.S. Envoy John Bass and U.K. Ambassador Richard Moore on July 30, and with the ambassadors of EU countries on July 31, the party said in a written statement. 

The meetings came at a time when the HDP leadership is under intense pressure from the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which accuses the party of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). This pressure is being further leveled as summaries of proceeding on a number of HDP lawmakers, including Demirta? and Yüksekda?, have been introduced to parliament in a move that could presage prosecution for the pair.

Demirta? and Yüksekda?'s meetings with envoys were focused on the ongoing political tension between the AKP and the HDP, as well as escalating tension between the army and the PKK in the southeastern Anatolian region. 

Demirta? to meet K?l?çdaro?lu
 
Demirta?, speaking to the media July 31, underlined the need for a resumption of dialogue between the PKK and the government to reach a settlement to the Kurdish issue. "The peace process should be restarted although it has been going very slowly in the last three years. Dialogue is not something humiliating. Not for the PKK either. Instead of calls for surrender, calls for dialogue are more humane," Demirta? said. 

"As the people of Turkey, we should say, 'Remove your hands from the trigger, solve this issue at the table.' Pushing democratic...