After Öcalan’s call, PM Barzani offers support for Turkiye peace talks

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, welcomed the call by Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), for his group to disband and lay down arms.

پێشوازیی و پشتگیریی لە هەر هەوڵێکی چارەسەری ئاشتیانەی کێشەکانی ناوچەکە دەکەم. هەرێمی کوردستان، هەمیشە فاکتەرێکی گرنگیی ئاشتی و تەناهی بووە لە ناوچەکەدا و لەم ڕووەوە، ئامادەیی خۆمان بۆ هەر هاریکاریی و ڕۆڵێک لە سەرخستنی پرۆسەی ئاشتی لە تورکیا دەردەبڕین.

— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) February 27, 2025

In a post on X, Barzani stated, "I support any effort that seeks to resolve regional issues through peaceful means... The Kurdistan Region has always been an important factor in achieving peace and stability in the region."

Barzani emphasized that the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is ready to "assist and play a role in supporting the peace process in Turkiye."

Meanwhile, the President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bavel Talabani, called on all parties to adhere to Öcalan's call, describing it as the beginning of "an important phase."

In a message responding to Öcalan’s call, Talabani said, "The PUK supports any initiative or project for brotherly coexistence between Kurds and Turks," expressing hope that all parties would respond positively to Öcalan's appeal and that practical steps would be taken to achieve a comprehensive peace, urging not to miss this historic opportunity.

Öcalan, in his historic announcement, urged his group to lay down its arms and disband, stating, "Hold your congress and make a decision... all groups must lay down their weapons, and the PKK must disband."

The announcement, made in Istanbul, was followed by a visit from a delegation of lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who had visited Öcalan in prison earlier in the day.