BAGHDAD, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The recent announcement by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to begin the process of disarmament marks a major milestone in the effort to consolidate long-term peace and stability, the Iraqi presidency said on Saturday.
The PKK's disarmament process is an important and historic step toward ending decades of armed conflict and repeated security violations that have cost countless civilian lives, the Iraqi presidency said in a statement.
This development paves the way for a more stable and secure future, strengthening the prospects for peace and constructive cooperation across the region, it read, stressing the importance of full commitment from all sides to uphold security, respect sovereignty and support the legitimate rights of all communities.
The disarmament is also expected to "reinforce bilateral relations between Iraq and Türkiye, built on mutual respect, shared interests and a common vision for regional security and prosperity," it noted.
In a June-recorded address released earlier this week from Imrali Island prison off Türkiye's Istanbul, Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, declared that its over 40 years of armed struggle against Türkiye for self-rule was over, and details regarding disarmament will be swiftly implemented.
On Friday, a group of PKK militants burned their weapons in a symbolic ceremony in Sulaymaniyah province, according to Iraqi media.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
