Erbil, Kurdistan Region — President Masoud Barzani received a prominent delegation from the DEM Party on Friday, along with several well-known political figures from Turkey. The high-level delegation, which visited President Barzani in Salahaddin, included:

Mr. Ahmet Türk
Ms. Leyla Zana
Mr. Sırrı Süreyya Önder
Mr. Tuncer Bakırhan, Co-Chair of the DEM Party
Ms. Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar, Co-Chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP)
Ms. Meral Danış Beştaş, Member of Parliament for the DEM Party
Mr. Berdan Öztürk, Head of Foreign Relations for the DEM Party

During the meeting, the delegation expressed their deep appreciation for President Barzani’s longstanding national and strategic role in supporting the Kurdish peace process in Turkey. They called on him to continue playing a key role at this critical juncture. The delegation also conveyed a message and a formal request from Mr. Abdullah Öcalan, asking President Barzani to consider visiting him.

President Barzani reaffirmed his commitment to the peace process, describing it as a vital and positive path forward. “Ten years of dialogue are better than one hour of war,” he emphasized, underlining the need for patience, political engagement, and mutual respect to achieve lasting peace. He rejected the use of violence and conflict as a means of resolution, insisting instead on diplomacy, political struggle, and dialogue as the foundation for progress.

In response to the request to visit Mr. Öcalan, President Barzani affirmed that he is open to the visit and will consider it at a suitable time.

President Barzani also called upon all political parties and forces in Kurdistan to lend their full support to the ongoing peace process in Turkey, highlighting its importance not only for the Kurdish people but for the stability and future of the wider region.