This information was in the shadow of further reports of Ukrainian-Russian peace talks and a crisis on the border between India and Pakistan. Meanwhile, the self-solvation of the Kurdistan Working organization (PKK) may prove to be very crucial not only for the mediate East, but indirectly besides for NATO.
It was 1 of the longest armed conflicts in fresh history. It has lasted for over 4 decades. Its origins date back to the end of the 1970s erstwhile Abdullah Öcalan PKK, founded, announced that she would search to make an independent Kurdistan and bring there governments based on the ideology of Marxism-Leninism. shortly there were first clashes between organization militants and Turkish army and... Kurds accused of collaboration. In response, the Turks intensified the repression of the Kurdish minority. They nearly completely destroyed the structure of the group, which, however, was revived in neighboring Syria and partially occupied Lebanon. In 1984, Öcalan officially announced that the PKK was entering the anti-Turkish uprising. In the southeastern part of the country partisan fights broke out, and in large cities bombings began to multiply. The PKK could number on silent support of the Kremlin, not only for ideological but besides for strategical reasons. The Soviets wanted to destabilize NATO's confederate flank. The struggles expired in 1999, erstwhile the Turks detained Öcalan and sentenced him to death penalty, then converted into a long-term prison. However, they shortly erupted again and with varying strength continued until last year.
This was then an unprecedented event. Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the nationalist MHP organization and chief ally of president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and for many years the enemy of the Kurds has baked, called for... talks with PKK. What steps have been taken on this matter, it is not rather clear. It is adequate that in February of this year Öcalan, imprisoned in a dense prison on the island of İmralı, called on militants to lay down their weapons. In fresh years, this has already been another appeal. Only this one, however, found the Turks' desired final. "We assessed that our fight halted the policies of annihilation of the people and led the Kurdish issue to a point of resolution by democratic policy. In this respect, we have fulfilled our historical mission," says the authoritative message of the PKK. So far, it's not known what the Kurds will get from the Turks in exchange for laying down their weapons. However, it can surely be said that this political phrase is simply a large success of president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In addition, the success that came precisely the minute he needed it most.
Erdoğan faces serious interior problems. The arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, mayor of Istanbul, and at the same time the main political rival of the current president, sparked mass protests. In fact, Turkey has inactive not recovered from the economical crisis. All of this could thwart his ambitious plans. And the president has been trying to strengthen his power for years. To prolong his own rule, he is even willing to change the constitution. The suppression of the conflict with the PKK will surely let it to calm social sentiments and distract any citizens from bending or even circumventing democratic standards. The Kurds themselves may besides support his efforts to any extent. But it's not over. Turkey, ending the civilian war, should besides strengthen its global position. Firstly, peace with the PKK will at least in rule calm the situation on the Turkish-Syrian border, and this as if there was no NATO border. Secondly, it will put out a possible origin of tension in Ankara's relation with Washington. Not long ago, Americans and Turks were on other sides of the barricades erstwhile it came to the Kurd issue. While the US supported Kurdish militants who fought against the muslim State in Syria, the Turks fiercely fought against them. They just saw the Öcalan organization in them. Of course, the situation has changed considerably since then. Syria has a fresh government, and Donald Trump wants not only to abolish the sanctions imposed on this country, but besides to retreat his troops from it. So it looks like the Kurds are losing their ally. However, we must remember that the situation in Syria remains dynamic and... unpredictable.
Several question marks can besides be placed in the Turkish-Kurdish agreement itself. 1 question is: how long will peace last? At the end of last year, Kurdish militias carried out an attack on arms facilities located in Ankara suburbs. This has already happened after the first attempts at the peace process. And that raises a question of temper among Kurdish radicals. It should not be excluded that there are people in the PKK who are not listening and who want to proceed the fight. Especially if Erdoğan doesn't keep the promises he's most likely made to the Kurds... Either way, present 1 can hazard saying that even if the fighting doesn't completely expire, their scale will be incomparably smaller than before. And this will surely let Turkey to remove any of the weights from its army and further strengthen the position of the regional power.
During 4 decades of fighting the Turks against the Kurds on both sides, a full of more than 40,000 people were killed – especially civilians.
