Parliament speaker holds 2nd day of party talks on terror bid

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş held a second round of talks with political parties on Nov. 11, as part of efforts to advance the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative through the establishment of a monitoring committee under the parliament.

Kurtulmuş met with co-chairs of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, as part of his consultations with parliamentary parties.

Later in the day, the speaker also held a meeting with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

He launched the first round of talks with the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the New Path bloc on Nov. 10.

He is scheduled to visit the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on Nov. 12, while talks with the New Party and the İYİ (Good) Party are expected to take place next week.

The consultations aim to build political consensus on the establishment of a parliamentary monitoring committee tasked with overseeing the implementation of the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, in line with a comprehensive framework law governing the various dimensions of the process.

The proposed committee is expected to undertake three key responsibilities: Overseeing the implementation of the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration, monitoring PKK’s disarmament and dissolution, and drafting additional legislation if deemed necessary.

Launched in late 2024, the initiative seeks to secure the full disarmament and dissolution of PKK, bringing an end to decades of terrorism that has claimed more than 40,000 lives.

The process gained further momentum after parliament overwhelmingly adopted a comprehensive framework law addressing the political and social dimensions of the initiative.
The legislation stipulates that, provided PKK fully lays down its arms and the disarmament process is completed, legal proceedings against certain members of the organization will be deferred for five to 10 years.

In a statement on Nov. 9, Kurtulmuş described the efforts to end terrorism in Türkiye as the “Türkiye model,” suggesting that the approach could also serve as a blueprint for other countries grappling with similar conflicts.