'Wise persons' hold first regional meeting in Malatya

The first regional meeting of the "Wise Persons' Commission," formed by the government to contribute to the ongoing peace process on the Kurdish issue, has been held on April 10 in the eastern province of Malatya. The group, which is tasked with pursuing works in the eastern Anatolia region, met with 137 regional nongovernmental organizations and associations. Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) Board Chairman Can Paker, who is also the head of the panel group, emphasized that a report would be prepared with the input of all those meeting before being submitted to government officials. Paker said the Kurdish issue would only be solved through peace and the peaceful atmosphere would ensure further democratization in Turkey. "We are neither a negotiator nor a group that attends the negotiations between two sides," said Paker. Another member of the group, Vice Chairman Sibel Eraslan, emphasized the different ethnic, confessional and ideological backgrounds of each member of the commission. "The mere fact that we came together despite all our differences is touching a [event] about life," she said.