Erdogan and Öcalan: Fate lesson for peace in Turkey!

Erdogan and Öcalan: Fate lesson for peace in Turkey!

In a surprising turn, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan found that the call from the PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan to dissolve the banned workers' party Kurdistan (PKK) could mark the beginning of a "new phase". Erdogan described the possibility of a "historical step" to end the decades of conflict between Turkey and the PKK. Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999, called for his followers to put down the weapons and end the fight against the Turkish state, which is considered a potential turning point.

Erdogan emphasized that there was now the opportunity to end terror and demanded patience for this crucial moment. In addition, he said that no relative of this nation - be it Turks or Kurds - would hinder this process. The call, which led globally to a broad echo, was received positively by Kurdish communities in Iraq, Syria and also in Germany, such as Deutschlandfunk reported.

The PKK, which has been fighting for a Kurdish autonomy since 1984, is classified by Turkey and the EU and the USA as terrorist. It remains uncertain whether and under what conditions the PKK will follow Öcalan's call. While Erdoğan presents the opportunities for negotiations as promising, no official concessions on the part of the Turkish government have become known, which illustrates the fragility of the entire process. As OE24 , the international and national attention will be on the development of this situation.