DEM Party Delegation is set to Visit Kurdistan Region

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A senior delegation from Peoples' Democratic and Equality Party (DEM Party) is set to visit the Kurdistan Region on Sunday, where they will meet with President Masoud Barzani to discuss a potential new peace process in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan.

Tulay Hatimoğulları, the co-chair of the DEM Party, confirmed the visit, stating that it follows recent meetings between the delegation and imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan in Imrali Prison.

Hatimoğulları indicated that Ocalan is expected to issue a significant message regarding the peace process, but its release has been delayed until after the delegation’s discussions in the Kurdistan Region.

Ocalan’s Awaited Statement and the Future of Peace Talks

Although Hatimoğulları said that Ocalan's message on the new peace process will be postponed because of the visit of the Imrali delegation to Erbil, but according to reports, the postponement of the message is related to the 26th anniversary of Ocalan's arrest.  

“The delegation visiting Kurdistan Region on Feb. 16, 2025 will hold several meetings. The outcomes of these discussions will be presented to Ocalan, and based on our understanding, his message will be made public later this month,” she said.

Hatimoğulları emphasized that Ocalan's statement is expected to reaffirm his longstanding position that the Kurdish issue cannot be resolved through armed conflict and must instead be addressed through dialogue and political negotiations.

“The Kurdish cause remains unresolved, despite decades of war. The priority must be shifting from violence to political dialogue,” she added.

Political Reactions and the Role of the Kurdistan Region

Observer says that, The DEM Party’s visit to the Kurdistan Region is viewed as a crucial step in engaging regional actors in any future peace process.

President Masoud Barzani has historically played a key mediating role in previous negotiations between the Turkish state and Kurdish representatives of Turkey, and his involvement is seen as pivotal.

Meanwhile, senior PKK figures have reaffirmed their support for Ocalan’s anticipated message but insist that lifting his isolation is a prerequisite for meaningful progress.

Selahattin Demirtaş a Kurdish political figure has also voiced his backing for Ocalan’s leadership in the peace efforts.

As the DEM Party delegation prepares for its visit, all eyes are now on the next steps in a process that has the potential to reshape Turkey’s policy towards Kurds and broader regional dynamics.

Whether the Turkish government is willing to re-engage in dialogue remains an open question, but the developments in the coming weeks will be critical in determining the future of the Kurdish cause in Turkey.