President Barzani Welcomes Erdogan-DEM Party Meeting as "Hopeful Step" for Kurdish Issue
President Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has praised the recent meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a delegation from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), calling it a positive development in efforts to resolve the long-standing Kurdish issue.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Barzani described the talks as a "hopeful step" toward addressing Turkey’s Kurdish question.
"The meeting between the İmralı delegation and President Erdogan is a positive and hopeful step towards resolving the issues," Barzani said. "This move represents a strong impetus for the advancement of the peace process in Turkey."
کۆبوونەوەی نێوان شاندی ئیمرالی و سەرۆک ئەردۆگان هەنگاوێکی ئیجابی و ئومێدبەخشە بۆ چارەسەری کێشەکان. هەروەها پاڵنەرێکی بەهێزیشە بۆ پێشڤەچوونی پڕۆسەی ئاشتی لە تورکیا.
— Masoud Barzani (@masoud_barzani) April 11, 2025
The DEM Party delegation, often referred to as the İmralı delegation, has historically mediated between the Turkish government and Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who is held in solitary confinement on İmralı Island. The group previously facilitated indirect negotiations between Ankara and Öcalan during the now-stalled 2013-2015 peace process.
This week’s meeting marks the first high-level discussion between Erdogan and the DEM Party since its formation in 2023, when it replaced the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) following a government crackdown. The DEM Party advocates for Kurdish rights, democratic reforms, and a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which has spanned four decades.
Barzani, who has previously acted as a mediator in Turkey-PKK negotiations, has long pushed for dialogue-based solutions to Kurdish political struggles in the region. His statement underscores cautious optimism among Kurdish leaders about potential progress.
While Turkish officials have not yet detailed the content of the talks, analysts suggest the meeting could signal a renewed willingness by Ankara to engage with Kurdish political representatives after years of escalated tensions, military operations, and arrests of Kurdish politicians.
The DEM Party has faced significant pressure from Turkish authorities, with many of its predecessors’ leaders jailed on terrorism-related charges, which they deny. Observers warn that any meaningful peace process would require concrete steps, including legal reforms and a reduction in anti-terror measures against Kurdish activists.
The meeting has drawn mixed reactions in Turkey, with nationalist groups opposing dialogue with parties they associate with the PKK, while Kurdish rights activists see it as a potential opening for renewed negotiations.
As developments unfold, regional stakeholders, including Barzani and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), are likely to play a key role in facilitating further discussions.
