A high-level delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party met with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani in Erbil (Hewlêr) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) on Sunday. The meeting, held at Barzani’s office in Pirman (Salahaddin), was part of a broader diplomatic effort initiated by the DEM Party following discussions with Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan on the prospects for a renewed reconciliation process.
The delegation included key figures from Kurdish political circles who had previously visited Öcalan in prison, both from the İmralı shuttle delegation and from among Öcalan’s lawyers. Among them were: Pervin Buldan, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Keskin Bayındır, İbrahim Bilmez, Berdan Öztürk, Gülcan Kaçmaz Sayyiğit and Mehmet Kamaç.
According to a statement released by the KDP’s Foreign Affairs Department, Barzani welcomed the guest delegation and expressed his firm belief that the peace process is the only correct way forward. The statement confirmed that the shuttle delegation had conveyed the content of Abdullah Öcalan’s message to Barzani, alongside their views on the political situation in Turkey and their assessments of recent meetings with Öcalan.
Barzani reaffirmed his full readiness to assist and support the peace process in Turkey, urging all parties to intensify their efforts to ensure a successful resolution.
The meeting comes at a critical juncture, as Öcalan’s latest initiative aims to steer the Kurdish political movement towards a renewed process of dialogue. The delegation has been engaging with key stakeholders, including Kurdish parties in Iraq, to build consensus around a potential new phase of negotiations with the Turkish state.
While details of the meeting remain undisclosed, sources close to the delegation suggest that discussions focused on Kurdish political unity, regional developments and strategies for advancing peace efforts. The KDP’s role in mediating regional affairs and its longstanding relations with Turkey also made the meeting significant in the context of potential reconciliation efforts.
The talks follow growing political tensions, including the recent appointment of a government trustee in Van (Wan) in place of the elected mayor, which the DEM Party has condemned as part of the moves against democratic governance in Kurdish-majority regions. The delegation is expected to continue its diplomatic engagements with KRI President Nechirvan Barzani and with the KRI’s other leading party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Sulaymaniyah (Silêmanî).
