PM Barzani, Turkish Delegation Discuss Peace Process in Turkey
The meeting, also attended by Erman Topçu, the Turkish Consul General in Erbil, was centered on ways to enhance bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey, with an emphasis on mutual interests and cooperation.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday received a high-level Turkish delegation headed by Ali Riza Güney, Director General of Iraq and Iran Affairs at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced in a statement.
The meeting, also attended by Erman Topçu, the Turkish Consul General in Erbil, was centered on ways to enhance bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey, with an emphasis on mutual interests and cooperation.
Talks further addressed outstanding issues between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government in Baghdad, particularly the protection of the region’s constitutional rights and budget entitlements.
The two sides also exchanged views on the broader regional situation, including recent developments in Syria, the peace process in Turkey, and stressed the importance of safeguarding the rights of the Kurdish people and other communities.
On August 29, the Imrali Delegation met with jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, holding a three-hour discussion centered on the peace and democratic society process.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the delegation said Öcalan was in good health and in high spirits. He provided a comprehensive assessment of all peace efforts to date, describing the ongoing challenges as "gangrenous" and requiring careful and sensitive steps.
Also, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) announced on Monday that they are going to launch a series of coordinated public activities across 20 cities in Southeast Turkey (Northern Kurdistan), underlining its commitment to advancing the stalled peace process.
Read More: DEM Party Marks International Day of Peace with Nationwide Events in Northern Kurdistan
A recent peace initiative commenced in March, with the PKK announcing its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle, following a call from its leader, Öcalan. This historic process is currently in its early and fragile stages, characterized by the PKK's unilateral steps to disarm and disband. However, the Turkish government has yet to offer formal counterassurances or outline its own legal and constitutional reforms in response. The success of this peace process is viewed as critical for transforming Turkey's domestic politics, enhancing its international relations with both the West and Russia, and addressing the long-standing Kurdish-Turkish conflict.
