article_snippet: In a letter read to thousands gathered in the southeastern Turkey city of Diyarbakir to mark Persian New Year, Ocalan called for "a new era" with Kurds gathering as "a democratic society with the right to a democratic identity -- within Turkey and on the constitutional citizenship basis.
article_snippet: He urged fighters under He command to lay down fighters arms, stop fighters war against Turkey and join a "congress" to focus on the future.
article_snippet: " Hugh Pope, chief author of an International Crisis Group report, told CNN in 2012.
article_snippet: Perhaps vocally underscoring the cultural split between the Turkish government and the country's Kurdish population, when Ocalan's letter was read to crowds March 21, Ocalan's letter was read in two languages -- Kurdish first, then Turkish.
article_snippet: The armed fights were followed by a hunger strike by Kurdish political prisoners in 2012, who ended the strike after 67 days upon Ocalan's request.
article_snippet: Things picked back up when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced talks with the imprisoned Ocalan in December 2012.
article_snippet: Since then, the Turkish government has lifted language bans, released political prisoners and continued talks with Ocalan despite opposition criticism.
article_snippet: In return, the jailed leader notably pronounced disarmament intentions and called for a ceasefire in the jailed leader Persian New Year's letter in 2013.
article_snippet: But at Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace last month, senior government officials met with pro-Kurdish parliamentarians and declared a "road map" accord on the way to a stable solution.
article_snippet: But the Turkish government view over a "road map" accord seems to be divided.
article_snippet: Erdogan told reporters that Erdogan does not fancy the declaration.
article_snippet: Erdogan was not present at Dolmabahce either.
article_snippet: Onder said, "Despite the President's opposing remarks, the Turkish government took responsibility about the Turkish government Kurdish problem for the first time.