Turkish parliament launches new committee to tackle Kurdish issue
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Turkish Parliament announced on Sunday the formation of a new cross-party committee, “Turkey Without Terrorism,” which is set to begin its work in early August. The initiative is part of a broader effort to resolve the Kurdish issue and eliminate terrorism in the country.
The committee was created following a historic call earlier this year by Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, who urged his party – Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – to lay down arms and disband. The message, delivered in late February through a pro-Kurdish party in Turkey, was met with widespread regional and international support.
Speaking to reporters, President of the Turkish Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş said the new committee would include representatives from all political parties in parliament.
He emphasized that the body would serve as a platform to deepen democratic processes in Turkey.
“Decisions will be made in the best interest of the state and the people, within an environment where diverse ideas can be discussed and perspectives exchanged,” Kurtulmuş said.
He stressed that Turkey is on track to become a country that has overcome the threat of terrorism. “Successfully managing this process is particularly important at a time when several nations in the region are grappling with the scourge of terrorism,” he added.
Kurtulmuş added that following the dissolution of the PKK, Turkey aims to establish a lasting environment that would prevent any resurgence of terrorism.
The parliamentary committee is expected to quickly draft proposals and submit them to parliament in the coming period.