Parliamentary Vote Paves Way for Turkish Peace Process with PKK

A Turkish parliamentary commission approved a report proposing legal reforms alongside the PKK's disarmament, seeking to end over 40 years of conflict. The report outlines a roadmap for the parliament to enact laws, calling for compliance with human rights rulings and a terrorism-free Turkey.

A Turkish parliamentary commission decisively approved a report on Wednesday outlining legal reforms alongside the disarmament of the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). This move forwards the peace process aimed at concluding more than 40 years of conflict. The PKK, branded a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, had ceased attacks last year and is poised to disarm, urging Ankara to facilitate political participation for its members.

The vote transitions the peace effort to a legislative focus, as President Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's leader for over two decades, strives to resolve a conflict responsible for over 40,000 deaths and spreading instability into Iraq and Syria. The approximately 60-page report suggests a legislative roadmap, advocating for judicial adherence to European Court of Human Rights and Constitutional Court decisions.

The core objectives emphasized by the report include achieving a "terrorism-free Turkey" and bolstering democracy. Approved by a significant majority, the plan insists that reforms and PKK disarmament progress concurrently. However, legal reform implementation is tied to verified PKK disarmament, specifying a temporary legal framework and ongoing judicial oversight to prevent perceptions of widespread amnesty.

(With inputs from agencies.)