In a written statement released on Friday, the president of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Hannes Swoboda, welcomed on behalf of the group the peace call Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan made yesterday.
"It is time for democracy and peace for Turkey", said Swoboda and remarked that the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats supported Öcalan's call.
The parliamentarian pointed out that the Kurdish leader's call for peace talks gives hope for an end to the 30-year struggle between the Turkish army and the Kurdish rebels.
"This positive development could and should open the way for a new period of co-operation and peace for all Turkish citizens. Negotiations are the only sustainable solution to avoid a further escalation of violence".
He added that "The Turkish authorities must now create the conditions for a better relationship with Kurdish citizens, changing their approach and establishing genuine freedom of expression for all in Turkey" and underlined that  "All political forces in Turkey must work to build a democratic state which fully respects human rights and freedoms. A just and lasting settlement of the Kurdish issue in Turkey will also have significant and positive implications for efforts towards bringing stability to the wider region."