SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Imrali delegation in their Thursday meeting "mutually evaluated" the next steps in the peace process, while agreeing that a period of no violence is "vital" to the country.

Erdogan on Thursday received Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) MPs Pervin Buldan and Sirri Surreyya Onder, who were also a part of the Imrali delegation that visited jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan in January.

Shortly after the meeting, Onder told Turkish media that the meeting was "very positive," adding that they feel "much more hopeful" about the process in light of the meeting with Erdogan.

"The meeting we had with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his delegation took place in an extremely positive, constructive, productive and hopeful atmosphere for the future," read a statement by the Imrali delegation later on Thursday.

The meeting was also attended by the Erdogan-led Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala.

It was agreed "that a period in which there is no violence and conflict and the democratic and political sphere will be strengthened is of vital importance for our country, our citizens and our region," the statement added.

Prior to the meeting, Buldan noted that "he [Erdogan] will share his views with us on what should be done, and we will brief him on all the meetings we have held so far."

Following an October proposal by the now indisposed Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli to free PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in exchange for the PKK laying down arms, a mediating delegation by DEM Party spoke to the jailed PKK leader on the prison island of Imrali. Bahceli's initiative was immediately endorsed by the Turkish president.

Designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, the PKK is an armed group that has fought for increased Kurdish rights in Turkey for decades.

The two DEM party MPs led the first delegation visiting Ocalan in the Imrali and participated in a second meeting later on in February as well, which ultimately resulted in a peace address by the jailed PKK leader that prompted the PKK to declare a unilateral ceasefire with Turkey to "pave the way" for the call.