“We are currently at the beginning of a new process, so we cannot talk about some practical developments, but the parties’ willingness to take positive steps continues,” Kadir Temiz, director of the Ankara-based Center for Middle Eastern Studies (ORSAM), said in an interview with Rudaw’s Hevidar Zana on Sunday.
On Thursday, a DEM Party delegation shared a letter from Ocalan in which he urged the PKK to disarm and disband. The message - conveyed from Turkey’s secluded Imrali prison where Ocalan has been imprisoned since 1999 - has sparked hope for the resolution to the nearly four-decade conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which has claimed over 40,000 lives.
The PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire with Turkey on Saturday, stating it agrees with the contents of Ocalan’s recent letter that called on the group to disarm and disband, but set a physical meeting with their jailed leader as a precondition to any successful peace process.
Temiz stressed that Ankara must work on “economic revitalization” to prevent clashes and that the country is waiting for “practical steps that will bring peace, stability, and democracy for the Kurdish people, Turkey, and the region.”
The following is the transcript of the interview with Kadir Temiz
Rudaw: Sirri Sureyya Onder, a member of the Imrali delegation, says their delegation will meet with the government delegation next week. What topics will be discussed in the meeting between the Imrali delegation and the government delegation?
We are currently at the beginning of a new process, so we cannot talk about some practical developments. The parties' willingness to take positive steps continues. As you know, this process did not start suddenly; it began in light of a set of regional and global developments. The parties are aware of developments in the region and the world, especially the latest events in Syria. After the withdrawal of some regional actors, Turkey and other actors took the initiative. For these reasons, practical developments are occurring. Right now, there is only an announcement. After this, we are all waiting for practical steps to occur that will bring peace, stability, and democracy for the Kurdish people, Turkey, and the region.
The PKK announced a unilateral ceasefire, wanting to prepare for a congress where it would decide to lay down arms and dissolve itself. However, fighting continues and helicopters are bombing in the Kurdistan Region. How can the PKK hold a congress in such circumstances, and why isn't the government taking necessary measures?
Turkey has two priorities in the region. Turkey has emphasized this from the beginning, and we as the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies have observed these two priorities in all our research in the region. First, all peoples of the region are demanding economic revitalization, from south to north, from east to west. The peoples of the Middle East region are demanding economic revitalization. Syria, Gaza, Iraq, and the Kurdistan geography, the Balkan countries and Central Asia, all are tired of war. In Turkey, there is a positive agenda for economic revitalization of these regions; this process has been worked on for a long time. Regarding Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government, the agenda is Iraq's Development Road. The second priority is security stabilization.
The PKK has announced a ceasefire and plans to hold a congress, but fighting still continues. How can it hold a congress and lay down arms under attacks and bombardment?
That's exactly what I wanted to say. The parties must see this positive aspect. Turkey is taking a positive step, but this always has a security dimension. If positive steps are not taken regarding economic revitalization, the political system, and laying down arms, the security issue will continue. Unfortunately, this continues as a reality in our region. I believe that the Republic of Turkey, alongside its security priorities, is working on economic revitalization, the political system, and political will, and the current government also supports this option. Right now, there is an announcement, and in response to this announcement, there is a statement. This is a positive process, and where this process is headed, we will all see together. Therefore, the security issue and the positive agenda [economic revitalization] must be properly analyzed. No one can end these two issues simultaneously.
