Peace Process Moves Slowly as DEM Party Acknowledges Qandil Meetings Between MIT And PKK
Türkiye media reports that the National Intelligence Organization has requested a roadmap from the PKK regarding disarmament, while DEM Party says it has limited information about the meetings.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A new phase of discussions surrounding the Türkiye-PKK peace process has emerged after the co-chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) confirmed contacts between Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Qandil, while stressing that her party does not know the details of those meetings.
On Friday, Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of DEM Party, commented on reports circulating in Türkiye media regarding meetings between MIT officials and PKK representatives in Qandil.
Hatimoğulları said the meetings were taking place, but added that they had limited information regarding the content of those discussions and contacts.
She also stated that the peace process was progressing slowly and said it remained unclear whether the meetings would be able to overcome that stagnation.
Her remarks came after a newspaper close to the Turkish government reported that an MIT delegation was in contact with PKK officials in Qandil and had asked the group to submit its roadmap, plans, and demands regarding disarmament within the coming days.
According to the report, the PKK’s proposals and demands are expected to reach the government in the near future, after which they will be compared with the government’s own conditions before a joint decision is made regarding the future of the peace process and disarmament steps.
Peace process developments
The current peace initiative began in October 2024 following an initiative launched by Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who called on Abdullah Öcalan to issue an appeal for the dissolution of the PKK.
On February 27, 2025, Öcalan announced what was described as a historic call to end the strategy of armed struggle and dissolve the PKK.
Within that framework, the PKK, during its 12th congress held between May 4 and 5, 2025, decided to end its organizational existence.
Despite those developments, Hatimoğulları said the overall process continues to move slowly, as attention now turns toward the reported negotiations and possible agreements concerning disarmament mechanisms and the broader future of the initiative.