ANKARA, July 11. /TASS/. The ceremonial laying down of arms by militants of the Turkey-outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq is a significant step toward ending the group's decades-long campaign of terror, a senior Turkish official told TASS.
"The surrender of weapons by PKK militants in Sulaymaniyah is a milestone reached in the ongoing process of disarming and disbanding [the PKK]. It marks a concrete and long-awaited step toward ending the years-long campaign of violence carried out by this organization," the official said, commenting on the ceremony where PKK members surrendered and burned their weapons in Iraq.
"We consider this event to be an irrevocable turning point, an opportunity to protect innocent people and build a future free from terrorism," he said.
Turkey "remains committed to supporting all efforts aimed at disarming and ensuring stability and long-term peace in the region," he stressed.
According to Turkish officials, this weapon-burning ceremony is part of the third phase of a five-step plan of comprehensive settlement. Once the PKK is fully disarmed and disbanded, the phase of "legal reintegration" will begin. It will include "mechanisms for lawful return of PKK members and justice," ensuring both accountability to the law and stability in the settlement process.
The fifth stage envisages a series of measures that enable socio-psychological integration of PKK participants or supporters and "efforts to heal affected communities, promote reconciliation and support full reintegration into society," the official said.