Today, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced that discussions among politicians will commence on unresolved issues once the armed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fulfills its commitment to disarm and disband.
During a speech to members of his ruling AKP party in parliament, Erdogan emphasized that it’s crucial for PKK affiliates in Syria and Europe to also make pivotal decisions, including the disbanding of the PKK.
The president further noted that Turkey’s practice of appointing “commissioners” to take the place of elected mayors is likely to diminish if the PKK is dissolved.
Turkey has consistently removed and replaced numerous elected mayors from the pro-Kurdish party, accusing them of having ties to the PKK, and has also made similar moves against mayors from the main opposition party.
Erdogan also expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for his decision to lift all sanctions previously imposed on the Syrian government.
In his address to his party’s MPs, the Turkish president conveyed his confidence in “my friend Trump’s support” for Turkey’s initiatives aimed at alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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