Erbil, Kurdistan Region – A delegation from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) arrived in the Kurdistan Region for high-level meetings aimed at fostering peace efforts between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The delegation, which includes two lawmakers who have met jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan twice since December, met with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. local time. They are also scheduled to meet Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Monday before traveling to Sulaimani to hold talks with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani and Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani.

According to a DEM Party statement, the delegation’s visit is part of ongoing efforts to mediate dialogue between the Turkish government and the PKK in a bid to end decades of conflict. While specific details of the peace process remain unclear, DEM Party officials have expressed hope for a “permanent and comprehensive” solution to the Kurdish issue in Turkey.

The visit comes as anticipation grows for a significant announcement from Ocalan, whom the DEM Party sees as a key figure in resolving the long-standing conflict. However, the PKK has stated that it will not comply with any calls to lay down arms unless Ocalan is released and meets with their leadership directly.

Sitki Vakar, DEM Party’s representative in the Kurdistan Region, told Rudaw on Sunday that the delegation’s discussions will focus on Turkish-Kurdish relations. “We believe that when a part of Kurdistan has a problem, all four parts of Kurdistan [Greater Kurdistan] have to come together and help to resolve the problem,” Vakar said, referring to the Kurdish regions in Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey.

He also emphasized the Kurdistan Region’s strategic importance in the region due to its geographic location and strong ties with Ankara.

Turkish authorities often view the DEM Party as the political extension of the PKK, though the party has repeatedly denied any affiliation with the armed group.

Founded in 1978, the PKK initially advocated for an independent Kurdish state but later shifted its demands to seeking autonomy within Turkey. Ankara classifies the group as a terrorist organization, and its decades-long conflict with the Turkish state has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

The outcome of the DEM Party’s meetings in the Kurdistan Region remains to be seen, but the delegation’s visit underscores renewed regional efforts to explore pathways for peace.