TKP Secretary General Kemal Okuyan: "A lasting peace is impossible without the struggle of the peoples"

In an exclusive interview with l'AntiDiplomatico and Natalya Vinkler, Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), laid out his strategy of fighting for a better future and building international cooperation under capitalism. The interview is the following:

— Comrade Okuyan, does Turkey, the Balkans, Central Asia - the Turkic world, which is inextricably linked to the world of Slavic peoples, currently have the opportunity to break out of the established paradigm of subordination to the United States and submission to comprador elites?

Turkish and Greek young communists against NATO — Joint Statement by TKG and KNE

Joint Statement by the Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) and the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) concerning NATO's military drills in the region:

NATO is conducting a massive military exercise involving 12,000 troops until June 9th in the Balkans, centered around Alexandroupolis/Dedeağaç. Led by the USA, which relentlessly seeks to tighten its grip on the region, this operation is not about defense—it is a blatant act of aggression, just like all other NATO maneuvers. As always, the ones caught in the crosshairs are the working people.

TKP: The Claim of “Terror-Free Turkey” and Our Struggle for “Turkey Free from Exploitation”

A 27-point statement by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) on developments in Turkey and the region.

1. The Imperialist system is not limited to the USA alone. Nor is it a nebulous enemy to blame at will. Imperialism is the name for the world system dominated by international monopolies. In this system, capitalist countries compete with each other to seize a larger share of the world’s wealth and to conquer new areas of investment and exploitation. 

Communist Party of Turkey: NATO Foreign Ministers are unwelcome in Antalya!

Statement of the CC of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) on the occasion of the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting in Antalya on May 14-15:

"They are there on behalf of an alliance (!) 

An alliance whose members laugh and joke at each other in luxurious halls, at sumptuous tables, and shower each other with gifts. 

Then… 

Communist Party of Turkey on the dissolution of the Kurdish PKK group

Statement by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) regarding the dissolution decision announced by the PKK militant group:

With today’s announcement by the PKK, a new chapter begins in Turkey’s political and social dynamics. Naturally, our party supports the aspect of the process referred to as the “silencing of arms.” 

TKP: Letter to the 35 richest capitalists from Turkey

Letter by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) to the 35 capitalists from Turkey listed among the world’s billionaires: 

Your names have appeared in a recent list published by an international financial magazine. The Turkish edition ran the list under the headline: “Billionaire Turks”, noting that “The total wealth of the 35 Turks on the billionaires list stands at $79.5 billion. This is a record.”

Kemal Okuyan: Boycott, Republic and Revolutionary Stance

Article by Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), which was published on April 8, 2025, on soL News Portal (Boykot, Cumhuriyet ve devrimci iddia):

It is impossible for the discussions on “”Who’s part of the boycott, why are they included, and who’s in and who’s out of its scope?” not to shift towards “where does the capital start, where it ends”. 

URGENT statement of the European Communist Action in solidarity with TKP

The European Communist Action condemns the brutal repression and mass arrests of demonstrators, journalists, etc., including members and cadres of the Communist Party of Turkey, who oppose the unacceptable actions of the Turkish state in relation to arresting and removing from office the elected mayors in Istanbul, which means violation of right to vote and to be elected. These choices are in service to the political interests of the ruling AKP government and highlight its blatant disregard for any and all democratic processes.

Communist Parties across the world express solidarity with the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP)

Statements of solidarity by Communist and Workers' Parties to the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), in the face of the ongoing political developments in Turkey and the detention of protesting TKP members by the authorities:

Communist Party of Greece (KKE)

The KKE condemns the decision of the Turkish state and the AKP government to arrest and remove from office the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the repression of demonstrations and the mass arrests of demonstrators, including cadres of the Communist Party of Turkey and the Communist Youth of Turkey, as well as journalists.

KKE denounces Imamoglu's arrest, expresses solidarity with the Communist Party and the people of Turkey

In a statement (here in Greek) concerning the ongoing developments in Turkey, the detention and imprisonment of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and the mass protests, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) stresses the following:

"The KKE denounces the decision of the Turkish state and AKP government to arrest the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, and to remove him from his office, the suppression of the demonstrations and the mass arrests of demonstrators, including members of the Communist Party (TKP) and the Communist Youth of Turkey, as well as journalists.

Communist Party of Turkey condemns the detention of Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu

Turkish police on Wednesday arrested Istanbul’s mayor — a key political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — and several other prominent figures as part of investigations into alleged corruption and terror links. It was a dramatic escalation in an ongoing crackdown on the opposition and dissenting voices in Turkey. 

The state-run Anadolu Agency said prosecutors issued detention warrants for the mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, and some 100 other people. Among those detained was Imamoglu’s close aide, Murat Ongun.

Communist Party of Turkey leader Kemal Okuyan on the solution process regarding the Kurdish Issue

Interview with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Kemal Okuyan, published in the March issue of TKP's monthly newspaper, Boyun Eğme:

Nowadays, everyone asks everyone else: "Do you support or oppose the new Solution Process?". So, let's start from here: How does TKP view this new process? 

Joint struggle of the communists in Greece and Turkey against the US bases and NATO

Elisseos Vagenas, member of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and Head of the Party's International Relations Section, gave an interview to the Turkish newspaper "Cumhuriyet":

— Greek newspapers Dimokratia and Ta Nea claimed that US President Donald Trump has decided to close the alleged US base in Alexandroupoli, Greece. However, US officials issued a statement on the allegations, saying that “the US does not have a base in Alexandroupoli, it is a Greek facility to which the US has access under the Mutual Defense Cooperation Treaty.” What is your assessment of these discussions?

Communist Party of Turkey: Statement on the public letter of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan

In a statement about the public letter of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who called on his movement to lay down its arms and dissolve itself thus ending a 40-year conflict with the Turkish state, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) stresses out:

 

Statement by TKP Central Committee on Öcalan's Letter

To Our People,

Communist Party of Turkey: NATO is a security threat for Turkey — We must withdraw from it

In a statement for the 73rd anniversary of Turkey's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) stresses out  the following:

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement today for the 73rd anniversary of our country’s accession to NATO. In the statement, it is claimed that at a time when the future of Euro-Atlantic security is being shaped, Turkey with its allies continue to contribute to international stability today as in the past.

Communist Party of Turkey: Ahmed Al-Shara is an ISIS remnant and a war criminal

Al-Shara with Erdogan in Ankara, 4/2/2025

In a statement issued on Tuesday 4 February, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) refers to the visit of former ISIS member and current leader of Syria Ahmed Al-Shara in Ankara, where he met with President Rejep Tayyip Erdogan: 

"Al-Shara, who was put in charge of Syria after it was destroyed by an international operation, with the collaboration of the US, UK and Israel, is visiting Turkey. This jihadist, remnant of ISIS, is meeting with Erdoğan today. 

Jihadism, capitalism and neo-Ottomanism

Interview of Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey-TKP given to journalist Marinella Correggia and published on Italian News Portal Il Manifesto with the title of "Jihadism, capitalism and neo-Ottomanism: There is nothing good for the Syrian people" on January 3:

– About this sudden change in Syria. Turkish Foreign Minister, said he had convinced Russia and Iran in Doha not to intervene on the side of the Syrian government, otherwise it would have been a bloodbath. It means that militarily the Russian and Iranian forces would have to face huge weaponry and mercenaries supplied by forces outside the country. Which ones?

 

KKE: Mitsotakis' government and the parties which welcomed Assad's fall bear responsibility for a Turkish-Syrian maritime deal

Commenting of the possibility of a maritime demarcation agreement between Turkey and the new Syrian government, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) highlights the responsibility the Greek government and the social democratic opposition parties which welcomed the fall of the Assad administration.

More specifically, the statement (here in Greek) reads:

Communist Party of Turkey: Capitalist greed and the Neo-Ottomanist politics are a security threat for Turkey

TKP: HERE IS OUR CONCEPT OF SECURITY

We are working class patriots. We stand for justice, equality and overall goodness within and outside our country's borders.

It is widely known that wealth, all natural resources and power are usurped by a minority. Incentives, monetary policies, public expenditures, and tax regulations all serve the interests of this minority. The cabinet and all the institutions of the government implement policies to promote the interests of this minority. 

SYRIA: Caught in the vice of capitalism and war

Interview with Eliseos Vagenas, member of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece  (KKE) and Head of the International Relations Section of the Party, published on Rizospastis, the organ of the CC of the KKE, on 14 December 2024:

—  We are witnessing turbulent developments in Syria. Before we get into the facts, let us consider a less discussed aspect. Why is Syria so important? What is its significance in the Middle East?