There has been no demand for autonomy, independence, or making Kurdish the official language within the terror-free Türkiye commission, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said on Friday.
“This is an auspicious development. It must be completed as soon as possible, and for this to happen, the (PKK terror) organization must quickly lay down its arms and accelerate the process of dissolving itself,” Kurtulmuş told Anadolu Agency (AA).
“I see that with the establishment of this peaceful environment, economic, cultural, and even political relations will become much stronger,” he underlined.
Speaking about the work of the parliamentary commission, which has been formed as the next step in the terror-free Türkiye initiative, Kurtulmuş said that it will conclude its work by December 31 this year, but if necessary, it can be extended by a few months.
“This is not a commission to draft a constitution. No laws or constitutions will be drafted here. The necessary steps will be prepared and submitted to Parliament,” he added.
The speaker said that representatives from the business world and trade unions will attend the commission in the upcoming period and voice their views. In previous commission meetings, former parliament speakers participated. Moreover, the “Saturday Mothers” and the “Peace Mothers,” two collectives comprised of women, also spoke at a session aimed at establishing a framework for the way forward in the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
Comprising lawmakers from most parties represented in Parliament, the committee will assess how the initiative will proceed, particularly in terms of laws and regulations regarding the status of the PKK and its members. This may include lenient sentences for members who surrender to the group.
Although Parliament is in summer recess, the committee will continue to work without interruption.
“This is a national and historic issue for Türkiye. If we can acknowledge this, it will be a great responsibility we are fulfilling for future generations,” Kurtulmuş said.
“I want to say that I believe everyone should act within their political responsibilities,” he continued.
The terror-free Türkiye initiative, launched by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, made its first tangible progress in February when Abdullah Öcalan accepted Bahçeli’s call and urged the group to lay down its weapons. In May, the PKK announced it would dissolve itself. Last month, some 30 PKK members, including a senior leader, burned their weapons in a ceremony in northern Iraq. Although symbolic, the gesture marked the first time that the group had laid down arms in its campaign of violence for more than four decades.
