Parliament speaker says peace bid enters 'riskiest phase'

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has said Türkiye's latest peace initiative has entered its "most risky phase" following PKK’s decision to lay down its arms, warning that the process must move forward without delays.

"It must be determined that the organization [PKK] has laid down its arms and abandoned its organizational activities. It must also be seen that it will be integrated with the new administration in Syria,” Kurtulmuş told daily Milliyet in remarks published on Dec. 4.

He pointed to YPG’s March agreement to join Syria’s national army. Türkiye regards it as the Syrian arm of PKK and a terrorist organization.

"The process has been good so far, but the next phase is the riskiest,” Kurtulmuş said. "The organization must continue to take the steps it promised without delay. We have taken our steps. We have also the support of our citizens. The process must not stall."

Under the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, PKK first declared a ceasefire before announcing plans to disarm and dissolve itself. A first group burned its weapons in July, and the terror group said in late October it had withdrawn from Turkish territory.

"It is the state security units that will monitor how the process of the organization dissolving itself and laying down its arms continues,” Kurtulmuş said. "If this is determined and certified, then in the next phase, politics will fulfill its responsibilities."

Kurtulmuş made the comments as the parliament’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission — which he chairs — convened on Dec. 4 for its 19th meeting. Lawmakers reviewed findings from a cross-party delegation that visited jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan on the İmralı prison island last week.

"It is important that the main points of what was discussed there are shared with the commission," he said. "Nothing has been done behind closed doors so far, and this meeting will not also remain secret."

The commission plans to finalize its work with a report this month outlining possible legal and administrative changes linked to the initiative, according to the speaker.

Representatives from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) visited Öcalan on Nov. 24. Kurtulmuş’s office said the talks produced “positive results” for social cohesion and regional stability.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the New Path group — an alliance by the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA Party), Felicity Party (SP) and Future Party — declined to take part in the visit.

Since forming last year, the commission has heard testimony from ministers, unions, business groups, academics, legal experts, civil society representatives and families of fallen soldiers.