HDP co-chairman Salahettin Demirtas during a meeting which included representatives of Armenian community in Istanbul

ISTANBUL—Ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Turkey, the co-chairman of the Pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Salahettin Demirtas met Wednesday with members of the Armenian, Greek, Assyrian and Jewish community representatives.

The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the challenges inherent in the November 1 elections, especially recent attacks on various targets, which have become commonplace ahead of the vote, reported Agos.

According to Demirtas, these aggravated attacks usually have a greater impact on minority circles.

“We, who represent minorities, become the first victims of the created chaos,” said Demirtas who warned that many are leaving Turkey as a result of the attacks.

To drive the imperative of the situation home, Demirtas quoted Armenian editor Hrant Dink who had said: “We are reliving the pain of the doves. In order for our children to not relive it, we must begin to take action.”

According to Agos, present at the meeting were, representative of the National Minorities Foundation Toros Aljan, St. Mary’s Assyrian Church board president Sait Susin, the chairman of the board of the Greek Orthodox Church in Panya, Laki Vingas, executive editor of Agos, Yervant Tanzikian, Agos Armenian editors Pakrad Estukian and Baruyr Kouyoumdjian, writer Jaqueline Celin, attorney Sebouh Aslanci and others.

Demirtas was accompanied by the party’s Armenian representative Garo Paylan and other HDP members Mihtar Sancaran and Erkan Metin.