Syrian Kurds may seek ‘confederation’ in future

Cansu Çamlıbel ARBIL / Hürriyet

Syrian Kurds hold their rifles as they flash the V sign in the Kurdish town of Jinderes. Turkish FM says they would not tolerate moves that could endanger Turkey. AFP Photo

Syrian Kurds may try to form a confederation that is bound to Turkey, the leader of the Kurdistan National Council (KNC), a Kurdish group in Syria, has said.

“For now we want to establish Kurdistan in Syria, but we cannot decide on the latter phases. Turkey was against it when Iraqi Kurdistan decided on federalism, but today Turkey is a major ally of [Iraq’s] Kurdish Regional Government [KRG],” Abdulhakim Bashar said.

“A rational choice would be a confederation that is bound to Turkey, but for this to happen Turkey should also solve its own Kurdish problem,” he added. Upon being asked if such an administration would take the KRG as an example, Bashar said it was not a pre-condition.

Local Parliament

“We want autonomy like Iraqi Kurdistan, but there is a geographical difference from Iraq. Also, there is no homogenous structure in Syria like in Iraq. There are Christians and Arabs as well,” he said.

Commenting on the structure of the establishment, Bashar said they were seeking a local Parliament and political autonomy that was administered by Kurds and included Christians and Arabs. Bashar also stated that the KNC had contacted the Turkish government to find a formula on the Kurdish problem, emphasizing the will of Ankara on the issue. “I told Turkish officials that we want to repeat the example of the KRG in northern Syria. We will be the guarantor of Turkey’s interests in Syria. Kurds are the best candidates for a friendly relationship,” he said.

No threat from N Syria

“This is clear: Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan and Syrian Kurdistan will establish the largest economic bloc,” he said. The KNC is composed of 16 political parties representing roughly 4 million Kurds in northern Syria.

The council has declined to participate in the Syrian National Council (SNC), claiming that it only represents the interests of Sunni Arabs. The KNC leader also said they would not allow threats to Turkey from northern Syria. His words came after the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which has ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), took control of a number of areas in northern Syria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had earlier described the relations between the PKK and the PYD as “terrorist activity” and warned that Turkey would not tolerate moves that could endanger Turkey’s security.

“As the Kurdish National Council we promise that we will not allow any incident to take place that threatens Turkey. This is what our interests require.” He also dismissed fears that northern Syria would be like the Qandil mountains in southeastern Turkey, citing geographical differences.