Kurdish militant leader eyes August withdrawal from Turkey – reports

PanARMENIAN.Net - Jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan envisages the withdrawal of his fighters from Turkey by August under a draft peace plan sent to his group's leadership and Kurdish politicians, media reports said on Wednesday, February 27, according to Reuters.

Held in an island jail since his capture in 1999, Ocalan has been negotiating with Turkey's government since October over the outlines of a deal to end a conflict which has killed 40,000 people since his fighters took up arms in 1984.

Under the plan, to which his Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is expected to respond within two weeks, the rebels would begin a formal ceasefire on March 21, the Kurdish New Year, said the Sabah and Star newspapers, which are close to the government.

The newspaper reports said Ocalan's plan proposed maintaining Turkey's unitary structure, with no demand for Kurdish autonomy.

The PKK took up arms in 1984 with the aim of carving out a Kurdish state, but subsequently moderated its goal to limited self-rule. It is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union.