New talks with the PKK head on Kurdish bid

Okan Konuralp ANKARA

DHA photo

A new round of talks has been launched between Turkey’s intelligence agency and the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for the continuation of the Kurdish resolution process, as well as to reformat its schedule, daily Hürriyet has learned.

Following consecutive meetings in Ankara over the course of the Kurdish resolution process, the government has decided to reschedule the stages of the process, especially after recent incidents that negatively affected the ongoing negotiations. A delegation believed to be comprised of members of the National Security Organization (MİT) has begun talks with the imprisoned leader of the PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, on İmralı island where he is serving a life sentence.

The official confirmation on the continuation of the Kurdish process was made by the deputy leader of Justice and Development Party (AKP), Beşir Atalay, who said “talks are continuing in their own nature. There is no cut in dialogue” during an interview. 

If the meetings between MİT and Öcalan yield a deal on the future of the talks, the government will contact the People’s Democracy Party (HDP) and allow the latter to meet Öcalan. “An official application for a meeting with Öcalan has been made to the Justice Ministry. It is the first official application for a long time. Meetings with Öcalan were being held upon de-facto decisions,” Selahattin Demirtaş, co-leader of the HDP, told reporters Nov. 5.   

According to a reported deal between Öcalan and state institutions, a secretariat was set to be established as part of democratic negotiations that would aid the process. In addition, a monitoring group was also set to be formed and meet with Öcalan. At the same time, a request by Öcalan to have a direct communication line with PKK headquarters in Kandil Mountain was also slated for consideration.
 
The process was set to be entirely carried out by the Undersecretary of Public Order and Security, whose ultimate objective is to ensure the full withdrawal of PKK militants by the first months of 2015.