Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal for his affirmative response to his request for a meeting, Zaman daily reports.

“This is a positive step. I will reply after assessing the matter,” Erdogan said yesterday at his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) group meeting.

The source reads that in the 6-page letter Baykal says that upon being informed of the day beforehand he is ready to meet with Erdogan any time. The former also underlines that Armenia-Turkey process “separates rather than unites” the country.

“We should not find meetings behind closed doors adequate while discussing society's most important issue,” Baykal writes to Erdogan.

Baykal also added that he would like to have their meeting recorded by a television crew. He attached three reports prepared by the CHP on the Kurdish issue: “Approach to East and Southeast Problems and Solution Proposals-1989”, “Bill on Using Different Languages than Turkish-1991” and “Parts of CHP Program on East and Southeast Problems-2008”, Zaman informs.

Erdogan said October 13 that an open session would take place in Parliament on the issue, “We will have the opportunity to share the developments regarding the initiative process with the parliamentarians and the nation. Every step will be carried out with the implicit approval of the public. This is not a secret process.”

On Oct. 8 Erdogan sent a letter to Baykal requesting a meeting. The two leaders have not met since late July, when the Government announced it was developing the democratic initiative, Zaman concludes.