By Tabitha Morgan BBC correspondent in Istanbul

The Turkish Government has prepared a draft bill intended to grant a partial amnesty to members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers Party (Kadek), formerly known as the PKK.

If it is passed, this bill could mark the beginning of a new chapter in relations between the Turkish Government and Kadek.

The move is described as move towards social peace

An estimated 5,000 armed militants are believed to be in hiding in the south-east of the country and many of them have crossed over into the mountains of northern Iraq.

The proposed new legislation - described by the Turkish media as "a repentance bill" - would extend pardons to Kurds whose crimes consisted only of being members of the banned Kurdish Workers Party and who had not resorted to violence.

Turkey's interior minister Abdulkadir Aksu, described the measures as a new and very serious step by the government to establish social peace.

But he added the amnesty would not be extended to include senior military and political figures in the party.

The draft bill will be particularly welcomed by the Bush administration, which is seeking to eliminate militant groups inside Iraq and which views the measures as part of its broader war on terrorism.

For its part, Kadek said disarmament would not be possible unless the government offered a general amnesty and approached them directly through official political channels.

While it is too soon to say whether the proposals will be approved by parliament or accepted by Kadek, the atmosphere now is more conducive to peace than it has been for some time.