05.07.2026 13:50
Chief Advisor to the President Mehmet Uçum emphasized that the passage of the law through the Turkish Grand National Assembly is critical in the Terror-Free Turkey process, and highlighted the importance of distinguishing between dialogue and negotiation while drawing attention to sabotage and traps targeting the process.
Presidential Chief Advisor and Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Board of Legal Policies Mehmet Uçum wrote about the latest stage in the transition to a Terror-Free Turkey for AA Analysis.
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Elements of the transition process
In our most recent article titled "The Last Stage in the Transition to a Terror-Free Turkey" [1], we touched upon the elements of completing the transition process and made the following determinations: When looking at the elements of completing the transition process, it can be said that the predominant topics in the upcoming period will be practical matters, while legal regulations will take up proportionally less space. This determination is in terms of workload and does not mean that legal regulations are less important.
Regarding the elements of the definitive and permanent elimination of systematic terrorism: ending active terrorist practices, eliminating support practices for active terrorism, ending the language established and nurtured in the shadow of terrorism in all channels, and ending terrorist tutelage over certain democratic political actors are the primary requirements.
Another important issue is the 'illegitimate and paternalistic cadre tutelage' established over some democratic political structures through illegal formations, whether old or new. Completely eliminating this problem and preventing such attempts in the future is also a significant dimension of the elimination process.
Essentially, it can be said that the transition to a Terror-Free Turkey will be largely completed with the judicial proceedings concerning members of the dissolved organization and the steps to be taken regarding their integration into society.
As we have emphasized before, President Erdoğan's leadership of the country and Mr. Bahçeli's determined and uncompromising approaches continue unchanged in the transition process to a Terror-Free Turkey. The strong support of the People's Alliance continues. The meticulous work of state institutions proceeds uninterrupted.
In this framework, one of the most important steps is the enactment of the transition process law. It is expected that this law will be passed before the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) goes into recess. At the very least, it is clear that a strong will in this direction has emerged. Our President Erdoğan announced that the law must be passed before the TBMM goes into recess. It is necessary to underline that this determination is extremely important.
Moreover, never before in any process has the issue come to the TBMM agenda and to the legislative stage at this level. This threshold should never be taken lightly.
Traps intended for the transition process
Despite this, especially in recent statements or attitudes put forward by some elements of the dissolved terrorist organization, approaches with the intent to harm the process are observed. Some elements appear to be inclined to resist the process. There are those who produce completely false, in other words entirely fabricated, war scenarios supposedly targeting Kurds in the region. Some emerge trying to oppose the ongoing process with a condescending tone. Those who wish to overshadow the process with absurd demands, those who attempt to create obstacles with conspiracy theories to disrupt the process, and those acting with the aim of sabotaging the process are being exposed.
Domestic and foreign anti-Turkey circles and various channels that are instruments of imperialism are also provoking and encouraging all kinds of sabotage attempts against the transition process. Among these, Westernist circles appearing as opposition from all sides and political actors exploiting nationalism constitute a considerable amount.
In this context, the statements made by some elements of the dissolved terrorist organization against the Iraq trip of Mr. İbrahim Kalın, the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), the most important institution in the field practice of the transition process, based on highly false claims, are a complete provocative move. The aforementioned trip was made to contribute to the goals of a Terror-Free Turkey and a Terror-Free Region. Associating a trip made for peace with war is never acceptable. Distorting a trip aimed at steps regarding the conditions for lasting peace in the region and turning it into black propaganda material is understood as a preparation for sabotage against the process.
Nevertheless, it should be underlined that the state and all relevant institutions are aware of all this, are monitoring all developments, and are preparing possible measures. It goes without saying that the state will not allow sabotage against the transition process, and if anyone attempts sabotage, they will be crushed under it.
Those involved in attempts to exploit the dialogue process conducted with Öcalan, related elements, and relevant legal structures will sooner or later be held accountable. While dialogue with Öcalan could proceed under much more comfortable conditions and reach much further points at this final stage, those who attempt to harm the dialogue process with discourse and actions based on unrealistic demands will bear this burden.
It is also clear that those trying to turn the dialogue process into a negotiation for Turkey's future are not sincere about the process, and the real intention is to harm the process. These traps must not be fallen into.
Furthermore, describing the transition process for the elimination of systematic terrorism as the elimination of the "democracy and freedom movement" is a complete deception policy. On the contrary, the elimination of systematic terrorism means preparing the conditions that will enable the legitimization, legalization, and strengthening of the "democracy and freedom movement." The basic function of the transition process law is to create appropriate legal conditions for this. Attributing subjective meanings to the transition process law and expecting different functions is nothing but bad faith and results in intellectual sabotage.
At the stage we have reached today, it is a situation that everyone must accept that the politics of terror and violence is illegitimate. Regardless of whether it is used openly or implicitly, the language of returning to arms is never acceptable and must be completely abandoned.
Bringing the style of ethnic politics before Turkish politics and attempting to turn it into a condition of the process is not an option. Abandoning this is an unavoidable necessity. Any separatist policy targeting the unity of the Turkish nation is doomed to failure.
Dialogue is the contact conducted with counterparts related to terrorism and associated legal structures for the definitive and permanent elimination of terrorism from all channels. Dialogue is not negotiation.
Negotiation is a political style belonging to all of Turkey, in which all segments of Turkish society are involved directly or through representatives on the ground of democratic politics to develop democracy and freedoms. However, with the completion of the transition process to a Terror-Free Turkey, the counterparts with whom dialogue was conducted during the transition process will gradually join the ranks of the ordinary legitimate actors of negotiation processes by embracing tutelage-free democratic politics.
The vision of a Terror-Free Turkey is to strengthen the integration of Kurds with the state and the nation domestically and to protect all Kurds in the region. The fact that Turkey is the country that protects Kurds the most in Syria and most recently in the US/Israel-Iran War is the most concrete practice that strengthens confidence for the future.
The vision of a terrorist-free Turkey is fundamental and indispensable in this context.
On the other hand, ensuring that the steps to be taken after the law are not prolonged and that the dissolved organization quickly fulfills its responsibilities, including completing the disarmament, will prevent the process from being infected. The state, with its strong will at all levels and its full institutional capacity, is ready for this.
In summary, those who perceive the phased nature of the process and act in harmony with the dynamics of these mandatory stages will succeed, while those who resist will lose. That is the essence of the matter.
The transition to a terrorist-free Turkey has now crossed an irreversible threshold. The main issue from now on is the speed and discipline with which the process will be completed. The determination of the state and the will of actors who sincerely contribute to the process are the most important guarantees of a successful transition. Conversely, attempts to delay, condition, exploit, or sabotage the process—regardless of the political channel, ideological circle, or structure they come from—will only consume their own legitimacy and be doomed to find no resonance in the nation's conscience.