Historic Dialogue: Pro-Kurdish Party to Meet Ocalan After Decade

Turkey's parliament has approved face-to-face talks between the pro-Kurdish DEM Party and Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the PKK, marking the first such meeting in nearly ten years. This decision follows a proposal by President Erdogan's ally to initiate peace talks in the long-standing conflict.

In a groundbreaking move, Turkey's government has permitted the pro-Kurdish DEM Party to engage in direct discussions with militant leader Abdullah Ocalan, currently detained on Imrali island. This development marks the first such interaction in almost ten years.

The DEM Party's request for a face-to-face meeting was made last month, following a proposal from a key ally of President Tayyip Erdogan, aimed at resolving the ongoing 40-year conflict between state forces and the PKK, led by the incarcerated Ocalan.

Ocalan, who has been imprisoned for 25 years in an isolated facility south of Istanbul, leads the PKK—a group declared illegal by Turkey. The potential dialogue could signify a step towards peace in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)