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Kurdish unity will not be undermined by
Turkey: Syrian PYD Official
30.7.2012 |
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Kurdish celebrations at the Kurdish town of Efrin, in Syrian
Kurdistan (Western Kurdistan), July 29, 2012. •
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July 30, 2012
ERBIL-Hewlêr, Kurdistan region 'Iraq', —
A top representative of the Kurdish Democratic Union
Party (Partiya Yekitîya Demokrat - PYD) said he does
not expect Iraq's Kurdistan Region President Massoud
Barzani to bow to Turkish demands regarding Syrian
Kurdistan.
Hussein Kochar, the PYD representative in Iraqi
Kurdistan, spoke at a seminar in Erbil, the capital
city of Kurdistan region, in Iraq's north, on
Friday. He said, “The Kurdistan Regional Government
[KRG] is surrounded by enemies and therefore its
officials have to sit down with them.”
Since the uprising in Syria began 17 months ago, the
PYD has been largely in charge of the Kurdish areas
in the country. The growing presence of the PYD --
which has ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
-- has worried officials in Ankara. The PKK has been
fighting the Turkish state for Kurdish rights for
three decades.
Kochar added, “We are not pessimistic about
President Barzani because he has worked eagerly and
seriously for unity among Kurds in Syria.”
According to Kochar, Turkey cannot pressure Barzani
to follow its policies vis-à-vis Syrian Kurds. He
points to the Erbil Agreement, signed between the
PYD and Kurdish National Council (KNC) on July 11 to
jointly govern Kurdish regions of Syria,www.ekurd.net
an agreement which Barzani mediated.
“President Barzani has seriously worked for unity
and we believe he won’t fall under Turkey’s
influence to a point that would undermine the Erbil
Agreement. If he did, the Kurdish people would not
accept it,” he said.
Kochar added that Barzani’s commitment to unifying
political factions could not be easily undermined by
Turkey or the policies of its Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
“Our aim is to be fully committed to the (Erbil)
agreement. Although many people thought the
agreement would never take place, today unity has
been created and we are working together,” he said.
As a result of recent developments in Syria, Kochar
noted that three different fronts have emerged: a
U.S.-Turkish front, a Russia-China front and the
Kurdish front.
He accused the U.S.-Turkish front of seeking to
establish “a failed state,” such as in Libya and
Egypt, in Syria.
“Fifty-five percent of the Syrian National Council
is dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood,” Kochar
said. “Syrian people know this will fail because the
Brotherhood cannot manage a multiethnic,
multi-religious and diverse country like Syria.”
He believes divisions such as seen in Libya and
Egypt are inevitable because the Muslim Brotherhood
-- backing the Free Syrian Army that is working to
oust the regime of President Bashar al-Assad --
offers no alternative to all the different
components of Syria.
According to Kochar, Russia and China “only demand a
superficial change in Syria for the sake of their
interests so that the Assad regime will stay in
power.”
Explaining the Kurdish front’s stance, Kochar said,
“Its aim is democratic politics and working on the
policy of advancing civil and democratic society for
the Kurds.”
Kochar denied reports that the Kurdish areas of
Syria have fallen under the PYD’s control because of
an agreement between the group and Assad’s regime.
“They spread rumors that we have relations with the
regime to mislead people. If that was true, why are
members of our defense units being killed? Why do
our protesters die? Why would we be fighting in some
areas? Those who spread these rumors do not want the
truth to get out that Kurds are organizing
themselves and have alternatives,” he said.
When asked why the PYD has not fought the Assad
army, Kochar said, “Our strategy from the beginning
has been for the least amount of sacrifices and the
most gains. Our project is to become an alternative
to the Assad regime … and at the same time implement
national unity among Kurds.”
By Rozh Ahmad
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