PKK chief speaks of disarmament, conditions for Turkish government

The outlawed PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, the European Union and much of the international community, took up arms in 1984. The nearly 26-year conflict has claimed 45,000 lives.

Karayılan said he would order his militants to lay down their weapons under United Nations supervision if Turkey agreed to a ceasefire and his demands, AFP said.

"If the Kurdish issue is resolved in a democratic way through dialogue we will lay down our weapons," Karayılan told the British broadcaster. "We will not carry arms."

But he raised the prospect of further trouble if Ankara did not agree to the offer. "If the Turkish government refuses to accept that, we will have to announce independence," he said.

Speaking to the BBC at a camp in the mountains of northern Iraq, Karayılan said his conditions included “an end to attacks on civilians” and “arrests of Kurdish politicians” in eastern Turkey.

A Turkish government official told the broadcaster it was "not in the habit of commenting on statements made by terrorists."

The PKK has stepped up its attacks inside Turkey in recent weeks.

Six Turkish soldiers were killed before dawn on Tuesday in a firefight between the military and the PKK in the southeastern province of Hakkari. In a separate on Tuesday, another Turkish soldier was killed in a suspected PKK attack in Gürpınar village of the southeastern province of Van.


/Hurriyet Daily News/