Murat Karayılan, acting head of the PKK, told the BBC he will order his soldiers to lay down their weapons with the help of the United Nations, provided that Turkey agrees to a cease-fire and meets conditions set out in a new agreement. His demands include an end to both attacks on Kurdish civilians and the arrests of Kurdish politicians in eastern Turkey.Karayılan’s offer has surprised many Western observers with what they perceive is a new approach by the PKK. David O’Byrne of the BBC in his analysis states, “This offer may be treated differently, as the conditions offered do not include freeing jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, a move which no major Turkish political parties will countenance.”
However, many Turkish and Western observers feel that Karayılan’s “new” deal is less innovative than appears on the surface. Just days after Karayılan’s discussion with the BBC, Öcalan made clear that he wants more than just a cease-fire; in addition, he made demands for a democratic constitution and a commission to investigate pending court cases against Ergenekon suspects and the release of those [pro-Kurdish politicians] arrested in Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) operations, from Imrali where he is held in prison. Öcalan considers this to be a roadmap for a democratic constitution.
The only “new” part of the proposal is the suggestion of UN supervision. UN assistance would go a long way in helping the PKK to achieve their future objectives. The UN would also benefit, due to the PKK’s strong presence in the UN’s refugee camp in Markhour, northern Iraq. Öcalan and Karayılan also point out that without support from the UN, it is possible that the PKK militants could be withdrawn from the Makhmour camp, which, at present, provides them with a safe haven.
By including the UN as a cooperative partner, the PKK would have the opportunity to earn respect from an international organization that could afford them some legitimacy and help to ensure their success.
With this approach, Öcalan and Karayılan, by not making their demands fully explicit (for example, insisting that Öcalan be released from prison) are manipulating the political powers-that-be to serve the PKK’s ultimate interests. The proposal also places Turkey in a difficult position in the eyes of the European Union if it does not accept the PKK’s offer.
Furthermore, bringing PKK militants under UN supervision would provide them with extra security.
The divided Turkish political system makes it difficult for the civilian government to keep its promises. For instance, it was reported there was an attempt in the 1990s to bring a PKK camp under the supervision of Massoud Barzani. However, the decision makers in Ankara could not find a middle ground, and so hard-liners conducted operations on the PKK militants in the camp.
Certainly, the PKK does not want to see something similar happen again.
