Öcalan Announces Suggestions for Peace

Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has announced his ideas for progess in the solution of the Kurdish issue via his lawyers.

"The lowering of the election threshold, the lifting of the Anti-Terrorism Law, sorting out the issue of the children [in prison under the Anti-Terrorism Law], the release of those [pro-Kurdish politicians] arrested in KCK operations, legal reform to develop inner-party democracy - all of these improvements can be made. Following these improvements, a democratic constitution can be prepared. I foresee these steps as a solution to the [Kurdish] question."

According to the Firat News Agency, Öcalan said, "The Justice and Development Party (AKP) is in power, and they hold responsibility. I have indicated before that if the AKP does not solve the problem, then special war lobbies will take over, and the AKP is not strong enough for them. These special war lobbies can be found inside and outside [of the country], in the bureaucracy, the judicial system, the army and everywhere else, and they receive support."

Öcalan also called on the main opposition party, the People's Republican Party (CHP) to support a democratic constitution. He warned that the new party leadership under Kılıçdaroğlu needed to rid itself of former chairman Baykal's policies.

The imprisoned leader also said that PKK had no intention of splitting up the country or changing borders. He claimed that the PKK had no interest in a revolution.

Öcalan also reacted to the statements of NGOs in Diyarbakır, the Kurdish-majority city in the southeast of Turkey, saying that he supported their demands.

He further called for a period of no conflict, saying that the KCK, the Kurdistan Democratic Confederation of which the PKK is also a member, may be convinced not to fight. He also emphasised however, that the right to self-defence would be exerted. (EÜ/AG)