Turkey’s Kurdish DEM party delegation meets Talabani

SULAIMANI,— A delegation from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Democratic Party of the Peoples (DEM) held talks with Bafel Talabani, president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in Sulaimani city in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The meeting is part of ongoing efforts to revive the stalled peace process between the Turkish government and the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) group.

The delegation, led by Turkish DEM lawmakers Pervin Buldan and Sirri Surya Onder, was received by Talabani at the Dabashan area.

The discussions centered on the stalled peace talks and strategies for progress. The delegation conveyed messages from Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned Kurdish leader and founder of the PKK, to Talabani, as well as updates on the current political and military dynamics in the region.

Qubad Talabani, a member of the PUK’s Political Bureau, was also present at the meeting. According to sources, the DEM delegation presented their positions on the peace process and provided their assessment of Turkey’s political situation, which is crucial for Kurdish autonomy and rights.

In response, Bafel Talabani expressed his support for any initiative that seeks to safeguard the rights of the Kurdish population in Turkey, according to PUK media.

He emphasized the PUK’s commitment to the peace efforts initiated by his late father, Jalal Talabani, in 1993. “We will support any process that guarantees the rights of our people in Turkey,” Talabani stated. He stressed that a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue is vital for regional stability.

Talabani also underscored that military action is not a solution to the conflict. “The only way forward is through genuine dialogue. The use of force will not resolve the situation,” he said.

He reiterated that the PUK supports peaceful coexistence and brotherhood between Kurds and Turks, adding that the region must move away from threats and focus on diplomacy.

This meeting follows a similar session between the DEM delegation and Massoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), on Sunday in Erbil. The DEM delegation also carried a message from Ocalan.

Over the past six weeks, the DEM delegation has met twice with Ocalan. While Ocalan has not made a public statement regarding the peace process, Kurdish politicians are hopeful that he will issue a message before the Kurdish New Year, Newroz, on March 21, 2025.

According to political sources, these efforts are crucial to revitalizing the peace process and resolving long-standing tensions between Turkey’s government and Kurdish groups.

The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984, seeking greater autonomy for the Kurdish minority in Turkey, which has long faced denial of constitutional recognition. The Kurdish population, which numbers over 22.5 million, or roughly a quarter of Turkey’s 84 million people, has been at the center of a decades-long struggle.

The conflict, rooted in demands for cultural and political rights, has resulted in more than 40,000 deaths, including both Turkish soldiers and Kurdish guerrillas.

The PKK has primarily targeted Turkish military and security installations, adhering to a policy of avoiding civilian casualties. This strategy has sparked international debate, with numerous organizations urging governments to reconsider labeling the PKK as a terrorist group, given its tactical restraint and focus on state institutions.