Istanbul - Turkey's parliament Friday began debating a highly-contested "democratization initiative" aimed at solving the country's decades-old Kurdish problem.

Speaking in parliament, Interior Minister Besir Atalay said the government's move was designed to bring "more democracy for everyone."

"The democratic opening will not harm the country but consolidate it," he said.

Among the steps the government will take as part of the initiative are the creation of an anti-discrimination commission and allowing political campaigning in languages other than Turkish. Kurdish villages and towns that have had their names changed to Turkish ones will also be allowed to apply to regain their previous names.

And estimated 12 to 15 million Kurds live in Turkey. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has been fighting Turkish forces since 1982, in a conflict that has cost the lives of an estimated 40,000. Although the group originally sought the creation of a separate Kurdish state, it now calls for improved rights for Turkey's Kurds.

The Turkish government hopes that its initiative will encourage the PKK to end its struggle. Small groups of PKK fighters have already surrendered recently, in an apparent test of the government's intentions.

The initiative, though, has drawn intense criticism from the political opposition, which has accused the government of the liberal Islamic Justice and Development Party (AKP) of undermining Turkey's unity.

"The fight against terrorism has stopped, and negotiations with the PKK have begun," said Devlet Bahceli, leader of the hard-line Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Deniz Baykal, leader of the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP), said the government was moving too fast with its initiative.

"The PKK has not promised to lay down their arms," he said. "Does the Spanish government make the (Basque separatist group) ETA its partner?"

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to address parliament later on Friday. (dpa)