BAGHDAD, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Foreign Ministry welcomed on Friday the announcement made by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) regarding the beginning of the disarmament process, the initial phase of which took place in Sulaymaniyah province in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The Iraqi foreign ministry said in a statement that the step is a significant development that reflects a genuine beginning of the disarmament process, and a real opportunity to support regional stability and advance efforts toward lasting reconciliation, adding that it contributes to ending cycles of violence and opens new horizons for understanding and peaceful coexistence.
While affirming Iraq's full support for the process, the ministry also underscored that it paves the way for a new phase of constructive cooperation with neighboring Türkiye, based on joint efforts to address security challenges in a manner that strengthens the sovereignty and stability of both countries.
The ministry hopes that the initiative will help turn a page on political, security, and social tensions, and serve as a starting point for a responsible regional dialogue that addresses the root causes of crises and promotes security and development for the benefit of all the peoples of the region, noted the statement.
Earlier on Friday, a group of PKK militants burned their weapons in a symbolic ceremony in Sulaymaniyah province, according to Iraqi media.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
Türkiye regularly conducts military operations targeting PKK militants in northern Iraq, where the group has its hideouts. Enditem
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