Erdogan's far-right ally pushes for Kurdish politicians' meeting with jailed PKK leader

Reuters

A key ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expanded on his proposal to end 40 years of conflict with Kurdish militants by proposing on Nov. 26 that pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party holds direct talks with the militants' jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), made the call a month after suggesting that Öcalan announce an end to the insurgency in exchange for the possibility of his release.

The pro-Kurdish DEM Party, parliament's third largest, responded by applying for its co-chairs to meet with Öcalan, founder of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Erdoğan described Bahçeli's initial proposal as a "historic window of opportunity" but has not spoken of any peace process.

Öcalan has been held in a prison on the island of İmralı, south of Istanbul, since his capture 25 years ago.

"We expect face-to-face contact between İmralı and the DEM group to be made without delay, and we resolutely reiterate our call," Bahçeli told his party's lawmakers in a parliamentary meeting, using the name of the island to refer to Öcalan.

Bahçeli regularly condemns pro-Kurdish politicians as "tools of the PKK."

DEM's predecessor party was involved in peace talks between Ankara and Öcalan a decade ago. Gülüstan Kiliç Koçyi̇ği̇t, DEM's parliamentary group chairperson, said it applied to the Justice Ministry on Nov. 26 for its leaders to meet Öcalan.

"We are ready to make every contribution for a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue and the democratization of Turkey," she said.

Turkey and its Western allies call the PKK a terrorist group. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the fighting, which in the past was focused in the mainly Kurdish southeast but is now centered on northern Iraq, where the PKK is based.

Growing regional instability and changing political dynamics are seen as factors behind the bid to end the conflict with the PKK. The chances of success are unclear as Ankara has given no clues on what it may entail.

The only concrete move so far has been Ankara's permission for Öcalan's nephew to visit him, the first family visit in 4-1/2 years.

Authorities are continuing to crack down on alleged PKK activities. Early on Nov. 26, police detained 231 people of suspected PKK ties, the interior ministry said. DEM Party said those detained included its local officials and activists.

Earlier this month, the government replaced five pro-Kurdish mayors in southeastern cities for similar reasons, in a move that drew criticism from DEM and others.