Kurds discuss ‘national conference’ in Arbil

ARBIL

The head of Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Ahmet Türk and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) leader Selahattin Demirtaş are among the participants of a meeting in Arbil. The meeting headed by KRG President Barzani discuss the details of a planned Kurdish conference in the city. AA photo

The president of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Massoud Barzani, opened a meeting in Arbil yesterday to discuss the date and participants of a planned Kurdish conference, attended by representatives from many Kurdish groups from neighboring countries including Turkey, Anadolu agency reported yesterday.

Groups affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) from three regional countries attended yesterday’s meeting in Arbil; the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria, the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) in Iran and the Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party (PCDK) in Iraq, Syria and Iran.

The 21 participants from Turkey included the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) leader Selahattin Demirtaş and the co-chair of the Kurdish-umbrella organization Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Ahmet Türk, who is also an independent deputy.

Offered by Öcalan

The meetings called “Kurdish National Conference” are held in Ankara, Diyarbakır and Brussels, with the latest one planned to take place in Arbil. A preliminary preparation meeting for a Kurdish National Conference was suggested by the PKK’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan and organized by Barzani, who also recently called for a high level of participation, Doğan news agency reported.

The Kurdish groups and parties from four neighboring countries – Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran – are expected to discuss the future of Kurds during the planned conference, according to the reports.
Barzani made a call to the political party leaders in Iraq, Syria, Iran and Turkey to launch a preparation committee at yesterday’s meeting to increase the level of participation in the conference in Arbil.

Barzani also said that the conditions were present for the Kurds in these four countries to live with peace and democracy, also saying that the “national conference” had a very significant role in this.

The participants from Turkey in yesterday’s meeting included the BDP deputy Mülkiye Birtane, Asrın Law Bureau’s representative Mazlum Dinç, the head of the Participatory Democracy Party (KADEP) Lütfi Baksi, Freedom and Socialism Party head Sinan Çiftyürek, Revolutionary Association of Democratic Culture (DDKD) head İmam Taşçıer, Islamic Movement general coordinator Fikri Bozkurt, Azadi Initiative general coordinator Adem Özcaner, Kurdish Democracy Platform spokesperson Sertaç Bucak, Diyarbakır Bar Association deputy head Nahit Eren.