A prominent ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called for direct negotiations between Türkiye's pro-Kurdish political party and Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), in a bid to resolve the decades-long Kurdish conflict.
Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), urged lawmakers in parliament to initiate face-to-face discussions with Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on Imrali Island near Istanbul for 25 years. Bahçeli’s proposal follows his earlier suggestion that Öcalan declare an end to the insurgency in exchange for the possibility of release.
Whilst Erdoğan described Bahçeli’s initial proposal as a 'historic window of opportunity', he has refrained from publicly discussing any new peace initiative.
Bahçeli has criticised the pro-Kurdish Democratic Party (DEM), Türkiye's third-largest parliamentary group, with 57 lawmakers, as being aligned with the PKK. However, he has now proposed a direct dialogue between the DEM Party and Öcalan. The DEM Party’s predecessor was involved in peace talks with Öcalan a decade ago.
Türkiye, along with its Western allies, designates the PKK as a terrorist organisation. The conflict, which has spanned 40 years, has claimed over 40,000 lives. Although primarily focused on Türkiye's Kurdish southeast in earlier years, the conflict is now centred in northern Iraq, where the PKK is based.
Ankara has not disclosed specific plans regarding a new peace process, but regional instability and shifting political dynamics may be influencing the push to resolve the conflict. The only significant development so far has been Ankara’s permission for Öcalan’s nephew to visit him—the first family visit in four and a half years.
Turkish President Erdogan and NATO Secretary General Rutte met in Ankara to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, the crisis in Palestine, security challenges, defence cooperation, and Türkiye’s NATO contributions, marking Rutte’s first visit since his appointment.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday urged NATO to pay attention to Russia's recent revisions to its nuclear doctrine.
Turkish annual inflation dropped to 49.38% in September, but a higher-than-expected monthly rate of nearly 3% raised caution from the central bank. With the policy rate now above annual CPI, analysts predict interest rate cuts may not begin until next year despite earlier expectations.
The decision on who will host COP31 has been postponed until next June. Regardless of whether Australia wins the bid, the world's third-largest fossil fuel exporter must focus on creating a plan to phase out its coal and gas production, Eco-Business reports.
The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, has expressed deep concern over the recent escalation in Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes have killed nearly 100 people, including medics and civilians, amid ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.
A tourist boat, Sea Story, capsized near Egypt's Sataya Reef, leaving three dead and 13 missing. The vessel, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a diving trip, sank within minutes due to high waves. Rescue efforts continue as survivors recover in Marsa Alam.
The return of Donald Trump to the White House brings questions about the trajectory of U.S.-China relations back into sharp focus. During his first presidency (2017–2021), Trump’s approach to China was marked by an unprecedented blend of economic confrontation, geopolitical competition
Donald Trump plans steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, sparking trade war fears and raising concerns over USMCA violations and global economic impacts.
Negotiations at COP29 in Baku face a critical impasse as sharp divisions over climate finance and fossil fuel commitments threaten progress.
"Come up with the video in its full form," demands the COP29 CEO, Elnur Soltanov, in an exclusive interview with AnewZ. The chief executive has broken his silence on the claims he was using his position to organise potential fossil fuel deals.
The United Nations COP29 climate change conference in Baku seeks $1 trillion annually to help vulnerable nations tackle climate change, as political tensions and Argentina’s withdrawal overshadow talks.
Iran is aiming to significantly expand its non-oil trade with Qatar, targeting an annual turnover of $1 billion, according to Mohammad-Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade, and Chairman of the Trade Development Organization.
Uzbekistan and China are intensifying discussions to finalize a trilateral concession agreement that will pave the way for the long-anticipated China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan has initiated a criminal case against Adalat Verdiyev, Chief of Staff of Civil Defense at the Center for Public Health and Reforms under the Ministry of Health, for allegedly compromising national security by disclosing sensitive military information.
A NATO delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Operations Burcu San visited Azerbaijan to participate in a conference commemorating the 30th anniversary of the country’s accession to NATO’s Partnership for Peace Programme.
Georgia’s parliament opened amid protests and an opposition boycott over disputed elections. Accusations of fraud and authoritarianism strain ties with the EU, raising concerns about the country’s democratic future and Western alignment.
The decision on who will host COP31 has been postponed until next June. Regardless of whether Australia wins the bid, the world's third-largest fossil fuel exporter must focus on creating a plan to phase out its coal and gas production, Eco-Business reports.
The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, has expressed deep concern over the recent escalation in Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes have killed nearly 100 people, including medics and civilians, amid ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.
A tourist boat, Sea Story, capsized near Egypt's Sataya Reef, leaving three dead and 13 missing. The vessel, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a diving trip, sank within minutes due to high waves. Rescue efforts continue as survivors recover in Marsa Alam.
The return of Donald Trump to the White House brings questions about the trajectory of U.S.-China relations back into sharp focus. During his first presidency (2017–2021), Trump’s approach to China was marked by an unprecedented blend of economic confrontation, geopolitical competition
Donald Trump plans steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, sparking trade war fears and raising concerns over USMCA violations and global economic impacts.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment