The Turkish government has decided to allow the pro-Kurdish party DEM to have private talks with the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan in prison where he is being held, the DEM said today.

This will be the first such visit Ocalan has received in nearly a decade.

The decision was taken after a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested the meeting as part of an effort to end hostilities between the state and the outlawed PKK.

Ocalan is serving a life sentence at Imrali Island prison after his arrest 25 years ago.