Erdoğan and Bahçeli open to dialogue amid Öcalan’s call for PKK disarmament

ISTANBUL — Following the delivery of a historic address by imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, PKK) Abdullah Öcalan calling on the group to disarm, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue with Kurdish leaders but issued a stern warning against any breach of agreements. He emphasized that failure to honor commitments would prompt harsh measures against the PKK.

Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi, MHP), an ally of Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP), also welcomed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s recent call for disarmament and the dissolution of the group.

Öcalan’s Disarmament Call and PKK’s Response

Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned founder of the PKK, made a significant appeal urging the organization to lay down arms and disband. In response, PKK leadership expressed its support for the initiative, signaling its willingness to comply if certain conditions are met.

“We, as the PKK, fully agree with the content of the call and state that, from our front, we will heed the necessities of the call and implement it,” stated the PKK according to a public statement.

“Beyond this, issues like laying down arms being put into practice can only be realised under the practical leadership of [Öcalan].” The PKK also announced a unilateral cessation of offensive actions, reserving the right to self-defense.

The announcement has reignited discussions about the Kurdish peace process, with Turkish officials adopting a mixed approach of cautious optimism and military warnings.

Erdoğan: Dialogue Possible, but Military Action Continues

In a public address, Erdoğan reiterated his government’s preference for dialogue and negotiations but warned that military operations against the PKK would persist unless the group follows through on its commitments.

“We prefer dialogue and discussion to resolve issues,” Erdoğan stated. “But if these promises turn out to be mere deception and endless delays, we will not hesitate to continue using military force until the PKK is completely eradicated.”

Bahçeli: Historic Turning Point for PKK

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli described Öcalan’s message as a momentous opportunity for the PKK to dissolve after decades of conflict.

He credited the Peoples’ Equality and Democratic Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi, DEM Party) for its role in facilitating peace efforts and claimed his own party’s influence in paving the way for this development.

“The PKK, which was founded in Ümid on November 27, 1978, with the aim of establishing a Greater Kurdistan based on Marxist-Leninist ideology, is now being urged by its founder to dissolve,” Bahçeli remarked. “After 47 years, we now have the opportunity to enter a new phase.”

In another significant move, Bahçeli reportedly personally called imprisoned former Peoples’ Democratic Party (Halkların Demokratik Partisi, HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş to thank him for his support in advancing the peace process between the Turkish government and PKK.

Demirtaş has been imprisoned in Turkey since 2016 following the removal of parliamentary immunity from over 55 members of HDP. In 2020, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ordered his release, stating that the justification for his years of detention was a cover for reducing pluralism and democratic debate. Turkey has refused to comply with the order for his release.

Iraqi Kurdish Leaders to Discuss Öcalan’s Proposal

In response to the evolving political landscape, leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan’s two largest parties — Kurdistan Democratic Party (Partiya Demokrat a Kurdistanê, KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (Yekêtîy Nîştimanîy Kurdistan, PUK) — are expected to convene soon to evaluate the implications of Öcalan’s appeal.

As tensions ease and political negotiations gain momentum, the region faces a critical juncture. Will Öcalan’s call for peace and disarmament mark the beginning of lasting reconciliation, or will it become another missed opportunity in the decades-long conflict?