Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
Presidential Council Statement
August 5, 1999

[The Presidential Council of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
has given its full support to the call made by their president,
Abdullah Ocalan, "to suspend the armed struggle and withdraw your
forces beyond the border for peace". The PKK Presidential
Council, which declared that it entirely agrees with the
statement made by Ocalan on August 2, called on Turkish
administrators to demonstrate a sensible, responsible, and
respectful approach to current realities. The PKK Presidential
Council statement is as follows:]

     Let us put aside all insignificant matters and join in the
call for democracy and peace coming from Imrali for the future of
our people and humanity. The historic statement made by comrade
Abdullah Ocalan on August 2, incorporating a call for peace and
democracy, is undoubtedly a turning point in the history of the
Kurdish and Turkish peoples, on account of his considerable
responsibility. Whatever various circles say, this historic
decision will definitely give its own historical verdict.
     This call made by our president and the new level reached by
the sacred national liberation struggle waged by our party is the
only valid way to resolve the Kurdish Question and bring
democratization to Turkey under current conditions. It is also
the most fraternal stance expressing the interests of the peoples
of the region and humanity. With this call, our unilateral
ceasefire launched on September 1, 1998 has been advanced to a
more certain point and increases the feasibility of the
implementation of the comprehensive evaluations and Democratic
Republic proposals made at the court in Imrali. This step is the
only one that may be able to clear the logjam in the question of
democratization in Turkey and the Kurdish Question. This step is
the only way to end all kinds of hostility that threaten the
interests and future of the Kurdish people and to develop peace
and fraternity.
     Our party states clearly that it agrees entirely with the
statement made by President Abdullah Ocalan on August 2 and that
it will carry out its work on this basis. From now on our
ideological-political, organizational, and military activities
will be undertaken with a new approach and style based on the
fundamental points in our president's statement and the
initiative to create a Democratic Republic. All our relationships
and efforts to form alliances will not contradict this goal and
will be based on the attainment of this. All party organizations
and our national liberation forces will strive to implement this
and gain peace and democracy, with a high degree of sensitivity,
responsibility, and discipline.
     Our people, who have struggled for decades in a heroic
manner enduring great suffering, will understand what these
efforts mean for them and endeavor to the utmost to achieve the
goals set for us by President Apo.
     Our president's statement is clear, categorical evidence of
the responsible, courageous, and determined approach by the
Kurdish side to the resolution of the Kurdish Question and
democratic development in Turkey.
     It is the most natural right of our people and of all
humanity to await the necessary responsible approach of the
Turkish Republic to this historic step we have taken for the
purpose of the freedom of the Kurdish people and society and the
development of democracy in Turkey.
     Our president's statement is the greatest historic
opportunity for the people of Turkey to gain peace and democracy.
The evaluation of this opportunity as we enter the 21st century
will initiate a broad process of resolution and development for
Turkey. It is the task of democratic and intellectual circles and
the working sections of the people to take this opportunity
without waiting for others to act. These circles have an historic
obligation to act in a realistic, responsible, decisive, and
united way without hesitation.
     The statement made by President Abdullah Ocalan on August 2
is the most fundamental fact that will determine the future of
the Kurdish and Turkish peoples.
     We call on all party forces, our patriotic people, and all
Kurdish national forces to join in unity and solidarity and work
towards determining our people's future on the basis of peace,
democracy, fraternity, and freedom. We also call on all forces
desiring peace, fraternity, and democracy in Turkey to struggle
in unity for these lofty aims, abandoning all feeble and
divisive attitudes, on Turkish administrators to show a sensible,
responsible, and respectful approach, and on all political and
democratic powers in the region and the world to support efforts
to resolve this historic issue.

PKK Presidential Council
August 5, 1999

(Source: DEM News Agency via Kurdistan Information Center,
Amsterdam; Translated from the Turkish original)