"We have a historic opportunity to advance towards the objective of destroying the wall of terror", Erdogan said, after the jailed PKK founder's call Thursday.

The PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Ankara and its allies, has led a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state.

On Thursday Ocalan said "all groups must lay down their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself" -- but its military leadership has yet to respond.

Erdogan said Turkey would "keep a close watch" to make sure the talks to end the insurgency were "brought to a successful conclusion", warning against any "provocations".

"When the pressure of terrorism and arms is eliminated, the space for politics in democracy will naturally expand," Erdogan promised on Friday.

"No member of this nation, whether Turk or Kurd, will forgive anyone for blocking this process by ambivalent speeches or actions, as has happened in the past," he said.

More than 40,000 people have been killed in the fighting between Turkey and the PKK since 1984.