Erdogan: We will reaffirm our determination to achieve our goal of a Turkey without terror.

In a speech at the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) group meeting in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), Erdoğan announced that he would meet with the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) for the goal of a 'Terror-Free Turkey.'

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Thursday that he would meet with a delegation from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). Speaking at the AK Party's TBMM group meeting, President Erdoğan said, "We will reaffirm our determination to achieve our goal of a Terror-Free Turkey." Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), had called on his organization to 'lay down arms' and 'dissolve' on February 27. In the following weeks, Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a partner in the ruling People's Alliance, had proposed holding the PKK's dissolution congress on May 4 in the Malazgirt district of Muş. However, for some time, the roadmap regarding this 'process' had been uncertain. Regarding this uncertainty, on April 7, DEM Party Group Deputy Chair Sezai Temelli stated, "The government has been experiencing a kind of freeze from February 27 until today." Temelli's criticisms were as follows: "We keep hearing the same thing from the government, 'Let the PKK hold its congress, let it lay down arms.' But how will they hold the congress? There is no discussion about security, the law, the conditions for holding the congress, how Mr. Öcalan will participate, and how he will be present there... None of these issues are being discussed. Everyone witnesses that the issue of laying down arms is actually a motto for procrastination. Stop stalling." On Wednesday, Erdoğan said he would meet with the DEM Party for the goal of a 'Terror-Free Turkey.' Erdoğan stated, "As the People's Alliance, we will hopefully conclude this process we have been carrying out with great care and patience in a way that will benefit our country. By accepting the DEM delegation tomorrow, we will both discuss with them and reaffirm our determination to achieve the goal of a Terror-Free Turkey," and added: "With Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Alevis, and Sunnis, we will continue to strive to rebuild and revive both our country and our region, to establish peace in our lands." The AK Party leader last met with political parties that preceded the DEM Party in 2012. At that time, Erdoğan had met with the co-chairs of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Selahattin Demirtaş and Gültan Kışanak. This will be the first face-to-face contact in years.

The peace process in Turkey refers to the negotiations that took place between the PKK and the Turkish state between 2013 and 2015. This process was initiated to resolve the Kurdish issue through peaceful means. Key elements of the process included disarmament, democratic reforms, and the expansion of rights related to Kurdish identity. PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan played a key role in these negotiations. However, with the resumption of conflicts in 2015, the peace process effectively ended. This period led to significant changes in the political dynamics in Turkey.

The PKK, founded on November 28, 1978, in the Lice district of Diyarbakır, is considered a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States (US), the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, and many other states. PKK militants have killed nearly 15,000 people in attacks that have lasted for almost 40 years, according to official figures. PKK leader Öcalan has been incarcerated in İmralı Prison in the Sea of Marmara since 1999, when he was sentenced to life imprisonment for founding and managing a terrorist organization.