ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday received a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) amid fresh developments in the ongoing peace talks between Ankara and Kurdish rebels. The DEM Party delegation, consisting of the party’s lawmakers Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, were received by Erdogan at the Presidential Complex, marking the second meeting between the Turkish president and the pro-Kurdish party since the nascent peace talks between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) started. In a statement, the DEM Party said the Monday meeting focused on "the new phase the process has entered and the steps to be taken moving forward." The delegation conveyed its views and proposals during the talks, stressing that "the mutual will to advance the process remains in place." The meeting is part of the DEM Party’s broader months-long initiative to resolve the four-decade-long conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state that has claimed more than 40,000 - mainly PKK fighters. The PKK announced its dissolution in May, responding to a February call by its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan, to end the armed conflict and pursue a political path for achieving Kurdish rights. Ankara cautiously welcomed the announcement but emphasized the need for tangible steps before declaring the disarmament process complete. The PKK, in turn, is seeking democratic reforms and greater cultural and political rights for Kurds as part of the peace process. The Erdogan-DEM Party meeting also follows a visit on Sunday by the pro-Kurdish party’s members to Ocalan in prison. The party reported that Ocalan was in “good health and spirits” and reiterated his support for the peace process, calling it a “new phase” and stressing that "responsibilities fall on everyone" to advance it. Ocalan reportedly described Monday’s meeting with Erdogan as “historic” and highlighted the importance of a proposed parliamentary commission, which he believes could play a key role in fostering peace and reconciliation. He also expressed “extremely strong” hope that the process could contribute to Turkey’s democratization. In late June, the DEM Party told Rudaw it was planning to propose the establishment of a commission in parliament to create a political and legal framework to oversee the peace process and ensure concrete steps are taken. Significantly, the recent developments come as the first group of PKK fighters - estimated to number between 20 and 30 - is expected to disarm in the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani province in the coming days. DEM Party delegates are expected to attend the ceremony. A well-informed source told Rudaw on Monday that dozens of figures, including more than 30 representatives from Europe and the United States, have been invited to the disarmament event. Updated at 5:50 pm.
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