Nationalists in the conservative establishment are deeply suspicious of making concessions to separatists or negotiating with the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and EU.

Erdogan appears likely to turn down the request, given the way the government rushed through legislation three weeks ago to protect the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) from the courts. Media reports say the prime minister has 60 days to decide.

What is surprising is that the prosecutors, armed by the government with special powers to tackle terrorism and investigate alleged coup plots, have refused to give up their pursuit of an agency that answers directly to the prime minister.

The prosecutor’s office declined comment on the reports.

In recent years, these special prosecutors had earned reputations targeting military officers, journalists, lawyers and academics, over alleged anti-government conspiracies, as well as Kurdish politicians and activists suspected of links with separatist militants.

Prosecutors want to question MIT chief Hakan Fidan and four other MIT officials about secret talks held with representatives of the PKK in Oslo in 2010 and about MIT infiltration of a PKK-linked group.

In tapes of the 2010 PKK talks leaked on the Internet last year, Fidan, then the prime minister’s special envoy, said Erdogan was prepared to take a great political risk to pursue peace talks.

The investigation has fueled speculation of a power struggle between the police, judiciary and the MIT, though Erdogan has denied any rift within the state apparatus.