Mon May 12 06:40:00 UTC 2025: **PKK Announces “Historic” Decisions After Congress, Peace with Turkey Still Uncertain**
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish militant group, announced “historic” decisions following a congress held in northern Iraq this week. However, the group has yet to confirm whether these decisions include disbanding and disarming, as urged by its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, in a bid to end the decades-long conflict with Turkey.
The congress, held between May 5th and 7th, saw the reading of statements by Ocalan outlining his proposals for peace. While the PKK promises to release details of its decisions soon, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed cautious optimism, stating that Turkey awaits a positive response but that an immediate announcement is unlikely. He acknowledged the difficulty of such a decision for the organization, hinting at potential internal disagreements.
Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DEM) also expressed hope, describing the congress as a turning point toward peace and urging Turkish parliament to play a role in achieving a lasting solution. The DEM party, heavily involved in the peace initiative, paid tribute to those lost in the conflict and to recently deceased legislator Sirri Sureyya Onder, who played a significant role in peace negotiations.
This latest peace initiative, launched last October, suggests the possibility of parole for Ocalan if the PKK renounces violence and disbands. However, previous peace efforts have failed, most notably in 2015, raising concerns about the likelihood of a lasting resolution. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and most Western countries.
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