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| The 'Wise Men' Committee |
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday the efforts of the “Wise Men Committee” were beneficial to the settlement process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or the PKK.
The committee is tasked with bridging the gap between the public and the government, and assessing the public view on the settlement of the Kurdish issue. It comprises of 63 members, including writers, columnists, academics, and actors in addition to many prominent figures with different political views, religions and ethnic backgrounds.
"It is useful that the government integrates with the representatives of the people," Erdogan told the media in Istanbul.
The committee carried out its activities even during the time when Erdogan was the prime minister. "We have seen many advantages of their attendance and support in the process, and I believe they continue to be very effective," he added.
Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with the committee at the Prime Ministerial Office in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace.
Last year, the committee had taken to the roads with the aim of assessing public opinion on the settlement of the Kurdish issue.
The committee made efforts in all seven regions of Turkey and met with more than 60,000 people.
The Turkish government launched the solution or settlement process early last year to secure an end to the decades-long conflict with the outlawed PKK, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives.
