Officials from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) are scheduled to meet with Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), in a potentially historic step toward post-conflict reconciliation.
According to Turkish media reports citing sources within the AKP, the meeting is expected to take place on Imrali Island, where Öcalan has been held for decades. While the exact date has not yet been confirmed, party representatives indicated that the discussions aim to facilitate a positive transition following the recent end of hostilities between Turkey and the PKK.
“This development is intended to influence positively the post-conflict transition,” an AKP source told A Haber.
The delegation is expected to include members of the newly formed Commission for Democracy, Brotherhood, and Solidarity, established in August to address legislation related to peace and reconciliation between Turkish authorities and Kurdish communities.
The meeting comes months after the PKK formally announced its dissolution and the surrender of arms under Öcalan’s directive, effectively ending a conflict that began in 1984 and has claimed an estimated 400,000 lives. Despite the ceasefire and disarmament, questions remain about Öcalan’s future and the potential for his release, which has long been a contentious issue in Turkish politics.
While Turkish authorities frame the meeting as a step toward national reconciliation, critics warn that any negotiations with Öcalan carry profound political and security implications. The talks may be perceived domestically and internationally as a test of Erdoğan’s approach to the Kurdish issue and could provoke backlash from nationalist factions within Turkey.
This development also highlights the broader challenge for Turkey in navigating post-conflict stabilization, accountability, and reconciliation after decades of violence and unrest.
