[Dargo]

After four decades of armed conflict with the Turkish state, the Kurdish militant movement PKK announced this morning that it is disbanding itself. The PKK has ‘completed its historical mission’, the movement declared. ‘The activities carried out under the name PKK have formally ended.’ Last February then came a historic call. From prison, Öcalan asked Kurdish militants to lay down their arms. That call was repeated last week at a PKK party congress in northern Iraq. This morning, the end of the PKK was formally announced.

How the dismantling of the movement, including the destruction of PKK weapons should proceed is not immediately clear. Kurdish politicians hope the decision will pave the way for a new dialogue. Erdoğan's AK Party welcomes the dissolution, but it is unclear whether the Turkish government has made any concessions. It cannot be a one-sided deal. For instance, it must be agreed what happens to remaining fighters and the military leadership of the PKK, which is now entrenched in northern Iraq. It also remains to be seen whether Öcalan will be released. The PKK's statement says he should lead negotiations. For Kurds, Öcalan is extremely important, but in the rest of Turkey he is known as a terrorist leader. There, they would not accept his release.