Is Turkey dragging its feet on peace steps after Kurdish militants vow to disarm, disband?

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party has accused President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling alliance of failing to outline clear steps toward advancing the peace process, despite closed-door talks on Monday (March 17) following a pledge by Kurdish militants to disarm.

Gulistan Kilic Kocyigit, deputy parliamentary group chair for the DEM Party, said that while government officials spoke in broad terms about a “terror-free Turkey,” they did not provide concrete commitments on how they would address democratic demands raised by the Kurdish movement.

The meetings in Ankara– between DEM, the ruling AK Party (AKP), and its ultranationalist ally, the MHP– sought to build on last month’s ceasefire declared by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a militant group that has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state for more than 40 years.

The ceasefire was called in response to an appeal from PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is serving a life sentence on an island prison and has been barred from legal visits for years.

A one-sided peace process?

Kocyigit, speaking to Reuters on Monday, said that while Ankara’s ruling bloc appeared receptive to the idea of a political resolution, there was “no specific roadmap or clear commitment” on what actions they were willing to take in response to the ceasefire.

“They used phrases like ‘a terror-free Turkey’ and ’the country must swiftly rid itself of this issue,’” she said. “They suggested that if weapons are silenced and the PKK dissolves, the democratic space in Turkey will expand.”

But for the DEM Party, which facilitated Ocalan’s call for disarmament, the government’s vague assurances are insufficient. The party has pushed for urgent reforms to Turkey’s anti-terror laws, penal code, and judicial system, as well as an end to the controversial practice of appointing state trustees to replace elected Kurdish mayors.

Confidence-building measures, such as halting military operations and improving Ocalan’s prison conditions, were also raised in the talks, but according to Kocyigit, Ankara appears reluctant to take any immediate steps.

“The government does not see this as a matter of political momentum,” she said.

Erdogan’s historic opportunity

Turkey’s latest peace discussions come amid shifting dynamics in the region, with implications beyond its borders. The PKK operates primarily from bases in northern Iraq, while Kurdish forces in Syria are consolidating their role in negotiations with the Damascus government.

A breakthrough in Turkey’s Kurdish question could reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.

For Erdogan, securing peace would be a legacy-defining achievement, bringing stability and economic development to Turkey’s southeast while bolstering Ankara’s influence in Syria and Iraq.

Yet, the president has made clear that any failure to comply with the ceasefire terms will be met with renewed military action.

A familiar pattern of delay?

Turkey’s past attempts at peace have ended in failure. A ceasefire between 2013 and 2015 collapsed into renewed violence, and since then, Turkey’s approach to the Kurdish issue has been defined by military crackdowns, mass arrests, and sweeping counterterrorism laws.
For the pro-Kurdish movement, the concern is that history may repeat itself– that Ankara’s reluctance to take the first step could lead to another breakdown in talks.

Nonetheless, discussions remain ongoing. A congress meeting of the PKK is expected to be held in northern Iraq in the coming weeks or months to formalize the group’s decision on disarmament.

But with the AKP remaining firm that “the PKK must completely lay down its arms” before any concessions are considered, the question remains: is Turkey truly ready for peace, or is it simply running down the clock?

With inputs from agencies