ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish Foreign Minister on Friday met with Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani to discuss the ongoing peace process between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) during his visit to Turkey.
“The peace process in Türkiye is a vital and historic step that we view with great confidence and hope,” Talabani posted on Facebook, welcoming the progress and his Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party’s mediation efforts.
“I am pleased to see the Turkish government and relevant parties are determined to ensure its success,” he noted.
The statement comes amid the renewed peace push that emerged in Turkey in late 2024, driven by shifting regional dynamics and renewed political will after years of conflict between Ankara and the PKK.
In a major turning point, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on the group in February 2025 to disarm and dissolve. The PKK heeded the call, holding a symbolic disarmament ceremony and withdrawing from several conflict zones.
Since then, however, it has accused Ankara of failing to take meaningful reciprocal measures.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) political party stepped up its efforts to act as a mediator between the two entities and facilitated negotiations.
Talabani expressed the “full readiness” of the Kurdistan Region and the PUK to support the peace process.
Talabani said he hopes the new era will lead to “stronger ties between Türkiye and the Kurdistan Region,” particularly with Sulaimani Governorate, in trade, investment, higher education and tourism.
Lawmakers are expected to debate legal measures, including potential amnesty for PKK fighters after a parliamentary commission submitted a report to the Turkish parliament earlier this year after meeting with officials and figures, including Ocalan.
The PKK, however, says the process has stalled, accusing Ankara of halting progress by restricting meetings with Ocalan and failing to take concrete steps.
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