Turkish Lawmakers Back Kurds Peace Reforms But Tie Steps To Disarmament

ANKARA, Turkey — A Turkish parliamentary committee connected Wednesday recommended a bid of reforms to beforehand a caller bid inaugural pinch nan militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, aliases PKK, while stressing that ineligible steps should beryllium tied to authorities information institutions verifying that nan group has surrendered its weapons.

The recommendations, which were overwhelmingly approved by nan National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, telephone for a impermanent ineligible measurement to reintegrate PKK members who renounce violence, according to nan last draught of a study made disposable to journalists.

The committee besides calls for measures to grow state of expression, merchandise older aliases sick prisoners and guarantee that nonviolent acts are not prosecuted nether anti‑terror laws. It proposes an extremity to nan believe of appointing authorities trustees to switch elected mayors from nan country’s pro‑Kurdish party.

Designated a violent statement by Turkey, nan United States and nan European Union, nan PKK has waged an equipped insurgency since 1984 that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and spilled into neighboring Iraq and Syria.

The group initially sought an independent Kurdish authorities but later shifted to demands for autonomy and expanded authorities successful Turkey.

The committee study says authorities verification that nan PKK has laid down its arms and dissolved itself is “the astir captious period successful nan process.”

The recommendations extremity short of proposing parole for nan PKK’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan, alternatively impulse compliance pinch rulings by nan European Court of Human Rights and Turkish Constitutional Court connected improving detention conditions. Reflecting beardown nationalist guidance to leniency toward nan PKK, nan draught study avoids calling for a broad amnesty, suggesting alternatively that fighters’ cases beryllium reviewed individually.

“The study is not an amnesty arrangement,” Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş stressed up of nan vote, describing nan commission’s activity arsenic “a clear look of nan determination to build nan early together without denying our suffering.”

The study says that “legal regulations must not create a cognition of impunity aliases amnesty successful society.”

The recommendations were approved by 47 votes successful favor, pinch 2 opposing votes and 1 abstention, Haberturk broadcaster reported.

It was not clear what nan adjacent measurement successful nan process would be.

The committee was formed successful August to oversee nan bid effort aft nan PKK, pursuing an entreaty by Ocalan, announced successful May that it would disarm and disband, ending much than 4 decades of hostilities. The group later held a symbolic disarmament ceremonial successful bluish Iraq and began withdrawing its remaining fighters from Turkey.

There was nary contiguous connection from nan PKK, which has pressed for general ineligible guarantees from nan authorities for nan process to move forward.

In a televised address, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed nan commission’s report, saying it has “put guardant a position that will springiness momentum” to nan reconciliation efforts.

The draught study besides recommends broader democratization steps, including a reappraisal of media laws to guarantee that state of look and nan correct to morganatic disapproval are protected. It proposes that if a politician is removed from office, nan successor beryllium chosen done an soul predetermination by nan municipal assembly alternatively of being appointed by nan government.

Fraser writes for nan Associated Press.