Turkish party leader to meet Armenian community reps. in Germany

PanARMENIAN.Net - Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of Turkey's main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP) visited Cologne, Germany on Thursday, June 26, to promote Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu as the joint presidential candidate of CHP and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Daily Sabah reports.

Kılıçdaroğlu said he arrived in Germany to meet with different members of Turkish public and convey their thoughts on the presidential election process while answering their questions about Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu.

"We will achieve peace in Turkey if such person is elected as president" Kılıçdaroğlu said.

The opposition leader was also expected to meet with leaders of different religious communities of Turkey in Germany including Assyrian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, the Turkish Islamic Unity Mosque of the Directorate of Religious Affairs and the German Alevi Federation.

Unlike Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who chose to address thousands of Turkish citizens living in Europe, Kılıçdaroğlu limited his campaign visit to meetings with businessmen and leaders of various communities.

İhsanoğlu has received wide range criticism from within the CHP and various Alevi organizations which claimed he does not represent them and expressed they would not vote for him. Public opinion polls also indicate İhsanoğlu may not secure CHP and MHP the votes they aim to gain in the upcoming presidential elections in less than 40 days, Daily Sabah says.