ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani welcomed on Monday the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) decision to lay down arms after a lengthy insurgency waged against the Turkish state, describing the move as a “pivotal step."

The PKK announced the historic decision on Monday following the militant group's 12th Congress last week, which heeded the advice of imprisoned founder Abdullah Ocalan and brought an end to a multi-decade armed campaign against the Turkish state.

Barzani said the PKK’s decision "demonstrates political maturity and paves the way for a dialogue that promotes coexistence and stability in Turkey and the region.”

He went on to detail that the party’s historical declaration, which followed a late February call by Ocalan to end the armed struggle against Ankara, "lays the foundation for a lasting peace that would end decades of violence, pain, and suffering," he added.

"The present moment is crucial, and there is a collective anticipation that this significant action will be met with further constructive measures from all involved parties. It will foster an environment conducive to enduring and comprehensive peace, ultimately bringing an end to years of conflict and hardship while guiding the region towards new avenues of advancement,” Barzani said in a statement published by the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

The Kurdish president expressed Erbil’s support to guarantee the success of “this historic opportunity.”

“We reaffirm the Kurdistan Region's unwavering support for all endeavors aimed at achieving peaceful conflict resolution,” Barzani said, adding they hope that "this initiative marks a significant turning point and wish to convey our complete readiness to provide any necessary support to facilitate the success of this historic opportunity."

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader and former President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani on Monday also expressed his "pleasure" with the positive progression of the peace process between the PKK and Turkey, hoping that "the process will reach a good conclusion in the interest of the region."

The most recent prospect of disbandment and a lasting peace deal began in earnest when the PKK's founding father Ocalan, imprisoned on the Turkish island of Imrali since 1999, met with representatives of Turkey's People’s Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, with talks eventually leading to the leader making a historic call for the group to lay down its arms in late February.

The PKK is an armed group that has fought for increased Kurdish rights in Turkey for decades. The group has long been designated a terrorist organization by Ankara.

The decades-long conflict claimed tens of thousands of lives on both sides.