MESOP EVENT : SALIH MUSLIM (PYD) & DEMIRTAS (BDP) IN BERLIN

Syria and Turkey Kurdish leaders shed light on developments in Kurdish regions

Berlin, Germany- The leader of Turkey Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Selahattin Demirtas and co-chair of Syria Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) Salih Muslim, in a joint press conference in Berlin, answered questions about the latest developments of the Kurdish region of the two countries.

“We are preparing grounds for peace and if Ocalan (Kurdistan Workers’ Party jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan) announces the PKK withdrawal, the initiative’s first step, which is PKK withdrawal, will begins,” Demirtas said. “The second phase is changing the constitution and meeting the Kurds’ rights and then the last phase where PKK lays down its arm and its forces will return society begins.”

Demirtas said the talks are continuing seriously and both sides hope on end to tensions although they mistrust each other due to their historical memory.

The BDP leader recommended Turkey to take concrete steps to make the Kurds sure. The young Demirtas further added Syria Kurds’ “revolution is a quick example of Ocalan’s philosophy that asks for all nations’ peaceful co-existence,” stressing that there is an important relation between Turkey and Syria Kurds.

Demirtas concluded that Kurds have created great values in the last 100 years and their existence is no longer deniable. “We are attacked by both Syrian government and opposition forces. The Syria oppositions deny the Kurds and are not ready of accept their rights in Syria constitution,” Muslim said in the conference. Answering a question about the situation of Syria Kurds and their demands, Salih said his party is seeking a confedralism for all Kurds. “We are being attacked by Assad forces severely due to talks between PKK and Turkey,” Muslim said, claiming that the situation proves Assad is afraid of the Kurds’ unity.