San Francisco Frontiers - Kurds see ball in Ankara's court after PKK says disbanding

The move sought to draw a line under a bloody chapter which began in 1984 when the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) took up arms to carve out a homeland for Kurds, triggering a conflict that cost more than 40,000 lives.

The historic PKK decision -- taken at a leadership congress held in northern Iraq -- was hailed by its jailed founder Abdullah Ocalan, who had in February urged his militants to end their insurgency.

"I respectfully salute the decisions taken at the (PKK's) historic 12th congress," Ocalan said in a message transmitted by the pro-Kurdish DEM party, which played a key role in facilitating contact between him and Turkey's political establishment.

Observers expect the Turkish government to now show a new openness to the Kurds who make up about 20 percent of the country's 85 million population.

DEM co-chair Tuncer Bakirhan urged the government to take concrete steps before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha which starts on June 6 in Turkey.

"Making some humane, concrete and confidence-building steps without postponing them until after the holiday is the right way for Turkey to move forward," he said.

"We expect the government to fulfil its duties and responsibilities in this regard," he added, saying many families were hoping to see political prisoners freed, particularly those who were sick.

- 'Tangible measures' -

Turkish media reports suggested the PKK, whose leadership is based in the mountains of northern Iraq, will hand over its weapons at several designated areas in the region although no timetable has been set.

But according to a Kurdish source close to the group in northern Iraq, the PKK was also waiting to see some "tangible" steps taken by the Turkish authorities.

"The fighters will not leave the mountains nor disarm right away," but wait to see "tangible measures" from the Turkish side, the source said.

That would include an amnesty and the release of political prisoners, like Selahattin Demirtas, the charismatic former leader of the first pro-Kurdish party to hold seats in Turkey's parliament, the source told AFP.

Further down the line it also wanted to see the Turkish constitution amended to guarantee Kurdish rights, the source said.

A senior Iraqi security official also told AFP the PKK was waiting for Ankara "to take certain measures, such as releasing Ocalan", who has been jailed in solitary on an island near Istanbul since 1999.

But commentators said it was unlikely the 76-year-old would be released, for his own safety, with a source from Turkey's ruling AKP saying his prison conditions would instead be progressively "eased".

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D.Robinson--SFF