Historic session in Peace Commission  – Öcalan “PKK must lay down arms mentally, not only physically”

Summary

Turkey’s Parliament witnessed a historic moment as a summary note of the delegation’s meeting with Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island was read for the first time during the session of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission. The commission, which includes representatives from the AKP, DEM Party and MHP, debated the next phase of the peace process amid tense exchanges between parties. The summary document revealed Öcalan’s statements on disarmament, political resolution, and Turkey–Kurdish relations, while opposition lawmakers demanded the full transcript instead of an edited version.

Commission convenes after İmralı visit — session begins with 35-minute delay

The National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission (also known as the Peace Commission) convened for the first time after the November 24 visit to İmralı, where a three-member delegation met PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. The session, delayed for 35 minutes due to internal consultations, opened with remarks from Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, who stressed that the process has entered its most “sensitive and fragile” stage.

“We are past the listening phase; we are entering the reporting period,” Kurtulmuş said, calling for restraint in language and tone.

AKP proposal: End to trusteeships and legal revisions if PKK disbands

AKP MP Mustafa Şen presented highlights of his party’s report, saying that if PKK formally dissolves, existing legal measures tied to terrorism — including trustees appointed to municipalities — should be lifted.

Şen added that in such a scenario, crimes related to membership or aiding the organization may be removed, proposing a “reintegration law” with reduced sentences that would not violate public sensitivity. For released members, he suggested a five-year judicial monitoring period.

Tensions between parties: “If you wanted to know, you should’ve attended”

The second session focused on the İmralı visit, conducted by MHP’s Feti Yıldız, AKP’s Hüseyin Yayman and DEM Party MP Gülistan Kılıç. Kurtulmuş announced that a summary of the meeting would be read aloud, stating:

“Nothing will be hidden. No political topic discussed in İmralı will be excluded.”

Opposition MPs objected, demanding full transcripts rather than an edited summary allegedly filtered through intelligence review. CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu argued the document must be shared without state screening.

AKP members responded sharply. When Tanrıkulu warned that reading only a summary could “arm peace-opponents,” AKP lawmakers snapped:

“If you wanted to learn everything, you should’ve come.”

Summary read — no member allowed to speak afterward

Deputy Secretary General Ahmet Bozkurt read the summary document aloud. After reading was completed, Kurtulmuş abruptly ended the session without allowing questions or comments — including from the MPs who visited İmralı.

As tensions rose leaving the room, Tanrıkulu confronted AKP MP Mehmet Şahin over earlier remarks, sparking a heated exchange. Other MPs intervened to calm the situation.

DEM Party reaction: “Not Öcalan’s words — a sanitized summary”

DEM Party officials criticized the process, telling T24 that the summary did not reflect Öcalan’s original tone:

“This was not Öcalan’s language. It was edited and rephrased. Withholding the full transcript harms trust in the process.”

What the İmralı summary contained

According to the summary read in Parliament, Abdullah Öcalan:

On political positioning and historical context

• Thanked MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli for his role in reaching this stage.

• Expressed gratitude to President Erdoğan for leadership in the peace process.

• Said he stands behind commitments given since the beginning of the process.

• Referred to Ziya Gökalp, stressing Turkish-Kurdish fraternity and shared historic identity.

On PKK disarmament

• Declared separation from armed struggle, embracing political methods.

• Called for dismantling PKK’s organizational structures across all components.

• Stated the public welcomed the February 27 disarmament declaration.

• Noted influence over Syria and Iraq structures.

When reminded the public expected a complete cessation of arms, Öcalan replied:

“PKK must not only lay down its weapons, but mentally lay them down as well.”

On casualties and reconciliation

Öcalan said every soldier’s death was a tragedy and he “never rejoiced,” adding that a permanent solution was necessary.

He reiterated willingness to “serve the state,” if conditions allow, and viewed the first year of the process as successful since “no soldiers were lost.”

On Syria and regional issues

• Supported a unitary Syria with local democratic governance.

• Said security forces under discussion would not be a military structuring but civil policing.

• Warned against Israeli influence in regional dynamics.

• Affirmed SDG adherence to the March 10 framework was essential.

On autonomy and state structure

• Rejected federal or separatist plans, confirming “no separate state, no federation.”

• Supported coexistence: “In this region, Turks cannot live without Kurds, nor Kurds without Turks.”

On internal PKK dynamics

• Claimed PKK should have dissolved in 1993 but sabotage and “coup mechanisms” prevented it.

• Suggested past negotiations with Özal, Demirel, and Erbakan were derailed by these dynamics.

Öcalan confirmed he knows Ferhat Abdi Şahin (Mazlum Abdi) and said he listens to him. He conveyed greetings when asked about women’s rights.

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