PKK’s cease-fire may start new period

No concrete steps have been taken, but statements from both sides still count as a negotiation period. The parties are trying to calculate how far they can retreat.

At some point there was some crisis created as to whether Democratic Society Party, or DTP, congressmen would testify. This crisis was for now settled with a formula found by Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan.

Then people talked about whether there will be a prolonging of PKK’s landmine attacks and their self-declared cease-fire. This way they were to test the sincerity of messages from Kandil.

The PKK prolonged the cease-fire period. To tell the truth, it is an exaggeration to call it "prolonging."

For we still have one and a half months to go until July 15. But nevertheless, it is a step. Within this period the PKK requests that the Turkish Armed Forces, or TSK, not undertake "big operations." It says, "Give me a break, or else I’ll have to defend myself."

But if you pay attention you’ll notice that in statements it is not denied that the TSK’s duty is to catch those who are involved in armed illegal actions.

The mention is not of daily but "big operations."

But in order for it to be a real cease-fire, the PKK needs to stop sneaky mine attacks and accept that each attack might lead to unavoidable big operations.

It seems people are looking for a mutually "tolerable" environment.

We are entering a period that is hard to continue and easy for provocateurs to sabotage, but nevertheless it is better than shedding blood.

Criticizing such periods is very easy. You’ll see there will be some that will do everything they can to torpedo the situation. There are nationalistic speeches in which they will say the country has split and credit has been given to PKK killers. Demonstrations will be organized, and games played by some to win votes or for the sake of ratings and circulation.

Those who want the war to continue won’t remain motionless. Ventures will be organized that reek of dark provocation.

Some forces inside and outside the PKK will take action and try to get back to the state of war by detonating mines.

The rest is a riddle with many unknown factors

We won’t know what will happen from now on.

The most important thing is what İmralı thinks and how Kandil will respond to messages from there. The PKK has an extremely complicated decision taking shape and its attitude will structure the future.

Moves taken within this chess game will affect Ankara’s attitude as well.

One other important factor is what Erdoğan and Gen. Başbuğ (namely the government and General Staff) think.

Their view during this period and how they interpret the PKK’s attitude is important.

We don’t know yet what they think but the political power and military know what they want but if they have a policy, stand upright and resolute, then this process will advance.

Otherwise it’ll end soon.

Besides it is so easy to terminate it, two mines go off in a place we don’t even know, then a bomb É and that’s the end of the road É

It’s hard to keep peace, but in the end it produces leaders for history.

War is easy, but it brings bloodshed and death. It wipes out and destroys leaders.