Last Sunday the new Prime Minister, Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu invited the so called “Wise People” who had been called to duty two years ago to feel the public pulse concerning the peace/solution process and reporting to the government of the views, expectations and the concerns of the people.

In fact the invitation was prompted by the call of the Wise People who had met a few days prior to the meeting in Dolmabahçe and reminded the government that the so called “peace process” is too slow and too vague with a public declaration.
They said vagueness and slowness in reconciling with the Kurds leads to unsavory speculations and distrust against the government as seen in the violent streets demonstrations staged on the 7-8 Oct.

Seldom have I come across to such a high caliber brain trust. Most of the “brain storming” sessions I have attended has ended with more storm than brains. The meeting has lasted 11 hours and there was never a dull moment. My observation is that the “wise people” have gotten wiser and the Prime Minister can be a good politician provided that his bright theoretical discourse can be translated into sound practice and burgeoning differences in his rhetoric and that of the President does not turn into a government crises.

The new government seems to have undedrstood the urgency of the civil society’s role in the process. Indeed the trust between the government and the Kurdish political leadership had waned a lot and it has to be mended. An interlocutor is needed if the peace process is to continue.

It is no secret that the government does not like the possibility of an autonomous Kurdish administration on Syrian soil that is an adjunct of the PKK which Turkey has declared as a terrorist outfit. The Turkish government feels that this would embolden Turkey’s Kurdish population for self-rule.

However, building political pressures inside the country for the finalization of the “solution” on the one hand and increasing Kurdish prestige in the Middle East as a viable force to stop the ISIS with the help of Westerners, including the USA, necessitated Turkish government to change course.

It is obvious that the Kurdish issue is no more a local or national issue. When streets activities reached their zenith, the head of the Turkish intelligence community paid a visit to Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK soliciting his help to stop the riot-like demonstrations. Simultaneously, the government had to change its attitude of waiting out until the result of the ISIS attacks on the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane and expecting to collect the remaining pieces as a “savior”, which did not happen. Kurds have put up a heroic fight and the world under U.S. leadership came to help. Now the Turkish government has to repair bridges with the Kurds and its western allies.

Another important point that was officially recognized was that an agreement to come to terms on non-violence with the Kurdish political leadership was not enough to make peace. Peace is a far greater and complex issue than cease-fire and immobilization. It needs public consensus and support. Hence, the missing link in peace efforts has to be put in place. This is public involvement and participation in the process as both an ombudsman and protector of peace.

It is obvious that if Turkey can strike a lasting peace with its Kurdish citizens within a framework of developed democracy and humanitarian law, the Kurds living in neighboring countries will look up to Turkey as the protector of the rights they vie for. This will enhance Turkey’s position in the region.

Throughout the discussions at Dolmabahçe, PM Davutoğlu seemed to agree with these arguments and told that citizenship based on a narrow definition (identity) of race, ethnicity or religion is detrimental to national unity and security. Never before a Turkish Prime Minister had uttered such words. No doubt this logic will enhance the peace process.

Deliberations have revealed the fact that “Wisemen” delegations as we know of will take place in the democratic history of the country. They will not exist as they are now. However new commissions and task forces will be created performing functions such as “Investigation of past political crimes”, “transitional justice”, “mediation and negotiation”, “reintegration”, “truth and reconciliation” and possibility “public and second-track diplomacy”. Existing members may take place in these groupings joined by other opinion leaders and experts.

Will these positive developments come to frution? We will see. But there is not much time. Turkey is under pressure from within and without. Furthermore elections are not too far away. The country and the government cannot afford to go to elections with a consuming conflict inside and outside the country and a weak morale.