DEM Party Hails PKK Withdrawal as Critical First Step in Turkish Peace Process
The withdrawal by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been in conflict with the state for four decades, began on Sunday.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM Party announced on Monday that the withdrawal of PKK fighters from Turkish soil completes the "critical" first phase of a landmark peace process, urging the government to swiftly enact legal reforms to secure a lasting agreement.
The withdrawal by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been in conflict with the state for four decades, began on Sunday. It follows a year of indirect talks initiated by Ankara's outreach to the group's jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan.
"The first phase of the [peace] process has concluded," DEM co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan told reporters, describing the militant pullout as "the most concrete expression of [the PKK's] resolve on the path to peace."
DEM Party Calls for Swift Legislative Action
With the security-focused first phase deemed complete, the DEM Party is now pushing the government to begin the complex political work of the second phase. Bakirhan called on parliament to develop the process, stating that necessary "legal arrangements must be made for the transition period."
"These will not only be technical arrangements, but they will also be the building blocks of peace," he asserted, adding that "a solution to the Kurdish issue means the democratization of Turkey."
The party's other co-chair, Tulay Hatimogullari, emphasized the need for speed, stating, "In this new phase of the process, taking political and legal steps swiftly is crucial."
Government Verification Key to Next Steps
The Turkish government has established a parliamentary commission, headed by Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, to prepare a legal framework for the peace process. Kurtulmus confirmed that once the withdrawal is verified by Turkey's security and intelligence agencies, a period of "legislative amendments" would begin.
The DEM Party, which has played a central role in facilitating the talks, is maintaining high-level engagement with the government. The party confirmed it would send a delegation to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, as both sides work to solidify the fragile agreement.
