Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Numan Kurtulmuş made comprehensive assessments of the process for a Türkiye without terrorism at İnönü University's 2026–2027 Academic Year Opening Ceremony, held at the Turgut Özal Congress Center in Malatya. Emphasizing that the process was a vital issue concerning the future of the entire region, beyond the matter of a political party or the enactment of a law, Kurtulmuş said, “This was the Republic's most difficult issue throughout its history, and it will be the most important project of its second century. We will ultimately succeed.”
Recalling that the terrorism problem was the “most urgent, most difficult and most serious problem” of the Republic's first century, Kurtulmuş said that tens of thousands of people had lost their lives during this process, thousands of martyrs had been given, and Türkiye had suffered an economic loss exceeding $2.3 trillion.
“A process that will be taught as a lesson around the world”
Explaining that they had named the process they were conducting the “Türkiye Model,” Kurtulmuş said, “We are managing a process that differs remarkably from all conflict-resolution examples around the world and, speaking as an academic, will thereafter be taught as a course in conflict resolution at many universities around the world.” He said the model was a national one, based on Türkiye's own experience and self-confidence.
Kurtulmuş said the National Solidarity, Fraternity and Democracy Commission established in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye had brought together different groups from all segments of society. He said the Türkiye Model had emerged as the strongest example of deliberative democracy and that “a major milestone” had been reached. Kurtulmuş recalled that the organization had, for the first time in its history, expressed its will to lay down its arms and dissolve its institutional identity, adding that this had been clearly raised in a statement from İmralı on February 27 and in subsequent statements.
“The Turk's pride, the Kurd's honor”
Kurtulmuş emphasized that no development that did not uphold the Turk's pride and the Kurd's honor would produce results, and that the future of the Turk and the future of the Kurd were linked to each other. Referring also to the initiatives launched by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan when he was prime minister in 2013–2014, Kurtulmuş said that the “barons of terrorism and barons of war” had not allowed the problem to be resolved at that time.
Stating that a Türkiye without terrorism also meant building a region without terrorism, Kurtulmuş said they were pleased to see that lasting steps had begun to be taken toward disarmament and the establishment of domestic peace in neighboring countries, particularly Syria and Iraq. He cited the successful continuation of the process to integrate the PYD-YPG into Syria's new administration as one of the foremost developments in this regard.
“The region became an area of instability and insecurity”
Kurtulmuş said Türkiye's geography had become an arena of competition among global powers, citing the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel's attacks in Gaza, and the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. Saying these conflicts directly affected Türkiye as well, Kurtulmuş highlighted the importance of strengthening the domestic front in such an environment. He added that everyone needed to pay attention to the language they used during the process and avoid separatist rhetoric.
Recalling that he had visited Malatya twice after the earthquakes, Kurtulmuş described the cities' recovery in a short time as a significant achievement and commemorated those who lost their lives in the earthquake with mercy. Kurtulmuş said that İnönü University, with more than 32,000 students, had become one of Türkiye's established universities. Malatya Governor Seddar Yavuz and İnönü University Rector Prof. Dr. Nusret Akpolat also delivered speeches at the ceremony. The university's Central Lecture Hall Building was opened after the speeches.
Photos: Anadolu Agency
