KCK Spokesperson: Negotiations haven't started, Öcalan's freedom is key

WISE NEWS PRESS / BRUSSELS, Belgium — Dec. 2, 2025

Zagros Hiwa, Foreign Relations Spokesperson for the KCK (the umbrella organization of the PKK), has denied claims that official peace negotiations with Turkey have commenced, stating instead that "negotiations have not yet started." Hiwa emphasized that the release of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is a "prerequisite for a just peace."

Speaking to DW Persian regarding the recent call by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli for Öcalan to address parliament, Hiwa argued that Ankara's steps so far have been insufficient. He suggested that the Turkish state's recent moves are driven by the failure of its military "collapse plan" and shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.

'A tactical step by the state'

Hiwa interpreted Bahçeli's initiative as a response to the reshaping of the Middle East. "The Turkish state wants to neutralize the Kurds' geopolitical leverage. This does not mean a strategic change in the state's mentality; it may just be a tactical step to deceive Kurds," he asserted.

'No negotiation without Öcalan's freedom'

Defining the current situation as merely a "dialogue process," Hiwa insisted that genuine negotiations require equal conditions for both parties. "The chief negotiator of the Kurdish side, Öcalan, must be free to negotiate under free and equal conditions," he said, calling for an end to Öcalan's isolation on Imrali Island.

Constitutional recognition demanded

Hiwa also outlined the group's expectations from Ankara, calling for a new constitution that includes Kurds without marginalization. "Kurds should be seen as free and equal citizens of the Democratic Republic of Turkey, not defined as Turks," he stated.

While affirming that the PKK would not sabotage the process, Hiwa warned that if a political solution is not reached, "Kurds will continue their self-defense resistance," signaling a potential continuation of armed conflict.

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