The symbolic move was initiated by Öcalan after the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government introduced a democratization package in the summer in order to solve Turkey's Kurdish problem. Regarding the point that has been reached today, analysts who find it the most critical part of the solution process say there can be no turning back now and that a critical threshold has been overcome with the surrender of some PKK members on Monday. According to Star's İbrahim Kiras, the PKK turning over some of its members marks the beginning of a process where there is no turning back, and even though the result that will emerge from this process will fail to satisfy both sides, Turks and Kurds, there will still be no possibility of turning back. By placing four prosecutors and a judge at the border to accelerate legal proceedings concerning those entering Turkey from Habur, the state is showing its sincerity. Kiras hopes that this process will be concluded without any problems, and since nobody can expect it to end immediately, bloodshed will cease for a while. “Those coming from Mahmur, Kandil and Europe are coming before the very eyes of the world. They nourish the hopes of the Kurds, in a sense. They meet the expectations of the Turks who want a solution. These returns will gain meaning with right responses and courageous solution proposals. I do not want to say ‘otherwise',” says Radikal's Oral Çalışlar.
Milliyet's Hasan Cemal says there is a need for those entering Turkey from Habur and those welcoming them enthusiastically as well as the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) to act cautiously from now on. “Yes, an important page is being opened and a historic crossroads could be crossed, but on condition of being careful. Let's not give a chance to those who are afraid of peace and democracy,” says Cemal.
According to Yeni Şafak's Fehmi Koru, it is in Turkey's hands to accelerate the PKK laying down their weapons, and Turkey, which has seen the return of some PKK members today, can take very significant steps for its development after it gets rid of terrorism. “Let them come and be a part of a dynamic society,” Koru tells critics of the PKK members' return.
