ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish party said on Friday that its meetings with politicians from across the spectrum about Kurdish-Turkish peace talks were generally positive, despite some concerns, and they are looking forward to a second meeting with jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan to ensure “the process reaches peace.”
“The impression we got from the interviews is that there is a common desire and will in all political parties to leave behind the conflicting and tense process stemming from the Kurdish issue,” read a statement from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
After their first meeting with Ocalan, a DEM Party delegation has brought his message of “Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood” to a series of talks with the leaders of both ruling and opposition political parties and influential Kurdish politicians over the past couple of weeks.
The statement said that “almost all” of the meetings were positive, but that “there were also concerns and suggestions on various issues." The concerns centre on transparency of the peace process and its implementation within the parliament.
On Tuesday, Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that the PKK must be dissolved “without any conditions.”
Bahceli had kickstarted this process last year when he proposed inviting Ocalan to address the parliament and announce the dissolution of the PKK.
Founded in 1978, the PKK initially called for the establishment of an independent Kurdistan but now calls for autonomy. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey.
According to the DEM Party, Ocalan has expressed willingness to cooperate with the proposals for peace and they plan to make a second visit to him soon.
“With all our positive impressions, we will pay a visit to Mr. Ocalan as soon as possible and spare no effort to ensure that the process reaches peace through healthy methods,” the DEM Party statement read.
