A senior delegation from Iraq’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) met with Turkey’s main opposition leader Özgür Özel on Tuesday, after a Socialist International summit hosted by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in İstanbul, signalling renewed efforts to resolve the Kurdish conflict through dialogue and regional cooperation.
Led by Dr Jwan Ihsan, a member of the PUK Political Bureau, the Kurdish delegation held direct talks with CHP leader Özel on the sidelines of the international socialist gathering. Their discussions focused on regional security, recent developments in the stalled peace process with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and the prospects for restoring Turkey-PUK ties.
“We continue to follow the path set by President Mam Jalal in our commitment to the peace process,” Dr Ihsan said, referring to the late PUK leader Jalal Talabani, a historic advocate of Kurdish-Turkish dialogue. “At this pivotal time, we believe regional stability relies on a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue.”
The CHP and PUK, both members of the Socialist International, stressed the importance of diplomacy, dialogue, and coordination to reduce tensions and foster mutual political understanding. The İstanbul summit served as a rare platform for such contact, especially amid Turkey’s continued military operations in Kurdish regions of northern Iraq.
The PUK’s relationship with Turkey has been strained since 2017, when Ankara expelled the party’s envoy and closed its office following a PKK operation in the PUK-held town of Dukan. Turkey has also maintained an airspace ban on Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî) and accuses the PUK of PKK ties—allegations the PUK denies.
Despite this, the PUK hopes that emerging peace talks between Turkey and the PKK may ease tensions. CHP’s engagement with Kurdish actors could signal a shift in how Turkey’s opposition parties approach the Kurdish question.
While the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) maintains still a hardline stance, the CHP’s platform within the Socialist International and its overtures to the PUK hint at the possibility of a broader political realignment should the opposition come to power.
