On 10 April, a historic meeting took place between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party at the presidential complex in Ankara. This was the first direct engagement between Erdoğan and the pro-Kurdish party in 13 years, following imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s recent call for dialogue and reconciliation.
The DEM delegation, led by Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan, met with Erdoğan for about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Discussions focused on advancing the reconciliation process, addressing the Kurdish issue and working towards a peaceful solution that would benefit all communities in Turkey. Both sides expressed their commitment to peace and dialogue as a means of resolving long-standing conflicts.
After the meeting, both Önder and Buldan expressed optimism about the process. Sırrı Süreyya Önder described the talks as “very positive” and said: “We are much more hopeful now. President Erdoğan has a very important position in this matter. Our goal is to achieve peace. We are very hopeful that this process will move forward.”
Pervin Buldan also shared her optimism: “It was a very, very productive meeting. The process is moving along well. We are optimistic that the discussions will continue in a positive direction.”
After the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the DEM Party’s İmralı Delegation issued a written statement. The statement reads:
“The meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his delegation was held in a very positive, constructive, and productive atmosphere, offering hope for the future. The importance of the progress made in the process was confirmed, and both sides discussed the next steps moving forward. It was expressed that a period without violence and conflict, where democratic and political spaces are strengthened, is of vital importance for our country, our citizens, and our region. Our delegation and party will continue their work with even stronger determination and care to bring the Call for Peace and a Democratic Society to life in the upcoming process. At this stage, we are proud to inform our entire country that we are more hopeful today than we were yesterday. We would also like to express our gratitude to all political parties and social groups who have contributed to the process with their suggestions, warnings, and criticisms.”
The reconciliation process, which gained momentum after Öcalan’s historic call on 27 February, had recently slowed down after the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu on 19 March. Following today’s meeting, however, the pace of the peace process is expected to pick up again, with signs of renewed momentum. Another meeting with Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island is also expected in the near future.
The meeting is seen as an important step in addressing the Kurdish issue and building a more inclusive, democratic future for Turkey. The DEM Party has played a central role in facilitating the peace talks and is now looking forward to further steps, including legal reforms and other measures that could help sustain the peace process.
