File image.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has welcomed the decision of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to dissolve itself, revealing that Baghdad, Erbil, and Ankara will cooperate to help the group disarm.
In a historic announcement, the PKK said on May 12 it would dissolve itself and end a decades-long conflict with Turkey. The decision came after the group’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, called for ending the conflict in a message published last February.
“We held in-depth discussions with the Turkish side. There are specific visions, and there will be cooperation between the federal government in Baghdad, the Turkish government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government to address this important decision. We hope this decision will be a step toward achieving peace and stability in Turkey and the region,” Hussein said during a press conference on May 14.
The PKK is designated as a “terrorist” organization by Turkey and its Western allies, including the United States. The conflict between Turkey and the group has been ongoing for over 46 years. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that Ankara was looking to have the PKK hand over its weapons, particularly guided missiles and other equipment in Syria. It claimed that the group received in the past loads of weapons and ammunition under the pretext of fighting ISIS in the country.
Meanwhile, Turkish news channel T24 expected that the disarmament process would include the surrender of all guided missiles and heavy weapons, especially those deployed in Syria.
The TGRT News agency reported on May 12 that the PKK’s weapons would be handed over to the Kurdistan Regional Government, and that the process would be carried out with the support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Masoud Barzani.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 14 stressed the importance of implementation in the promised dissolution of the PKK.
“What truly matters is implementation, (and) our National Intelligence Organization will closely monitor whether promises are kept,” Erdogan told a parliamentary group meeting of his party, according to the Anadolu Agency.
“The era of terrorism, weapons, violence, and illegality has now come to an end,” the Turkish President continued.
“It is of vital importance that the terror group’s branches in Syria and Europe also recognize these realities and join the process of dissolution and disarmament,” He added.
While all sides appear to be committed to ending the conflict, similar peace efforts failed in the past. The group reached a ceasefire with Turkey in 2013 with the aim of completely ending the deadly conflict. However, the process collapsed just two years later.
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