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The likelihood of Turkish parliament passing a framework law on the "Terror-Free Türkiye" initiative before its summer recess is diminishing, according to a report by journalist Yucel Kayaoglu in Türkiye daily. Sources from the ruling Justice and Development (AK Party) say the disarmament of the terrorist organization PKK has not been confirmed or verified on the ground.
According to information obtained by Kayaoglu, contacts between the AK Party and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) have indicated that disarmament cannot be confirmed and detected, and that no law can be passed while weapons remain in existence.
An AK Party source described the party's position in direct terms.
"We will discuss the strong existence of disarmament; we will not discuss anything beyond that. There are things the other side needs to do, because politics has done its part," the source said.
"Despite saying 'the disarmament process will continue,' no concrete step has been taken. We told the DEM Party: we do not see strong evidence of disarmament. Who laid down arms, how many people, it's not clear. They said 'it's accelerating', again, it didn't happen. We don't see a satisfactory situation. The relevant state institutions have also not made a confirmation or determination on this matter. In other words, while weapons continue to exist, no law will be passed," the source added.
Security sources told Türkiye daily that despite a degree of activity on the ground, disarmament has not reached the desired point.
The sources said new developments could emerge within a week or two.
"If there is an acceleration as expected, legal regulations could come onto the agenda within July. But right now, this is seen as a remote possibility," the sources said.
AK Party officials said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's position on the matter is clear.
"No step will be taken without confirmation and determination. If the expected progress is achieved, the president will make the necessary statement on this matter," the officials said.
AK Party officials said parliament will work until late July at the latest.
"There will already be no working week due to the NATO meeting. In the remaining three-week period, items on the agenda will include the judicial package, the omnibus financial bill that includes raising minimum pension payments, and a student amnesty regulation," the officials said.
"This calendar currently does not include the passage of the Terror-Free Türkiye framework law. If there is concrete progress on the disarmament issue, a step could be taken in the final week," the officials added.
AK Party Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesman Omer Celik said Monday that a draft law contingent on the terrorist organization's disarmament is now under discussion.
"We are now at the stage of discussing and evaluating a draft law that would take effect based on the terrorist organization laying down its arms. It is very important for everyone to contribute to this as well," Celik said.
Celik made the remarks following the Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK) meeting held at AK Party headquarters under the chairmanship of the party's general chairman, Erdogan.
Celik said work on the "Terror-Free Türkiye" initiative has continued without interruption, noting that following a call from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, Erdogan's instructions to state institutions had transformed the effort into state policy, with the process continuing to move forward strongly.
The AK Party spokesman said a legal framework would emerge to ensure the requirements of the commission's report are met, namely, disarmament and the complete end of the terrorist organization's existence, along with its illegal structures.
"We believe this legal framework should be brought before parliament's agenda as soon as possible, without significant delay," he said.
"This legal framework is aimed at ensuring the terrorist organization lays down its arms and is eliminated along with all its branches, extensions, and illegal structures. This is important both for Türkiye's national security and for the goals of the Turkish Century, in terms of the "Terror-Free Region" and "Terror-Free Türkiye" objectives," Celik added.
"All these stages have been passed, this work has been completed. We have now reached the stage of the legal framework through which the terrorist organization will be eliminated and the armed structure will end," he noted.
Celik stressed the importance of all political parties and segments of society contributing to the legal framework.
"Türkiye has the ability and capacity to overcome this issue through collective will and the great experience of the state, the great values of the nation, and great foresight," he said.
"Our experience, distilled through centuries and millennia, has the high capacity to bring these processes to a conclusion without compromising the qualities of our state or the values of our nation, and without any bargaining involved," Celik added.
Celik outlined the process for finalizing disarmament.
"If the terrorist organization's disarmament is determined by state institutions, and that determination is approved by the National Security Council, this process will be completed through a presidential decision, at the president's discretion," he said.
"But as I said, this process needs to go through all these stages. We are preserving, and will continue to preserve, our sensitivity regarding the principles we have set from the outset, the qualities of our state and the values of our nation, in the strongest way. The elimination of the PKK/KCK with all its branches, extensions and structures is the core objective; that is what is being targeted," Celik concluded.
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