The Iraqi Initiative for the Freedom of Abdullah Öcalan made a statement regarding the ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society’ announced by the Kurdish leader through the DEM Party İmralı Delegation on 27 February. Öcalan emphasized the need for democratic politics and called on the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve itself.

Remarking that the rapid changes taking place currently require all parties to review their policies, the Initiative said: “After Leader Abdullah Öcalan's message of peace and love between peoples, Erdoğan no longer has any excuse for keeping troops in Iraq. The Turkish authorities should withdraw all military forces from Northern Iraq. The same applies to Syria. Turkey should respect the sovereignty of neighboring countries, fulfill Leader Abdullah Öcalan's demands for peace and avoid a military solution to the Kurdish question.”

The Initiative also welcomed the statements of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry and the President of the Kurdistan Region in support of the Kurdish leader’s call.

The Initiative called on the Turkish authorities to respond to Öcalan's call, to provide the legal and political basis for it, and not to miss the opportunity for peace between the Kurdish and Turkish peoples, noting that this would have a direct positive impact on Iraq and neighboring countries in general.