ANKARA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkiye had entered a “new phase” in efforts to end Kurdish militant violence and signaled he was open to the idea of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan addressing lawmakers.
Erdogan said he held “very constructive” talks last week with senior pro-Kurdish DEM Party leaders – who have urged the idea of Ocalan addressing a parliamentary commission on PKK disarmament – and he urged all actors to contribute.
“It appears we have reached a new crossroads on the path toward a Turkiye free of terrorism,” Erdogan told his ruling AK Party lawmakers. “Everyone needs to step up and do their part.”
“We consider it extremely valuable that ... all relevant parties are heard without leaving anyone out, and that different opinions — even if contrary — are expressed,” he said.
The comments could hint at possible engagement with Ocalan, who has been jailed since 1999 but has played a key role urging his militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to disarm and dissolve, steps it announced earlier this year.
