Iraq's Kurdistan president welcomes Ocalan's call for PKK to dissolve

BAGHDAD - Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, has welcomed the call by Abdullah Ocalan, jailed leader of the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), for it to lay down arms and dissolve itself, a statement said on Thursday.

Ruling AK Party Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala said on Thursday Turkey will be "free of its shackles" if the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) lays down arms and dissolves after the group's jailed militant leader called on it to disband.

In the first response from President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party, Ala said the government expected the PKK to comply with Ocalan's call.