SUMMARY OF THE PYD VISIT TO TURKEY
PYD Leader Positive About Talks With Turkey
Summary of PYD visit: The PYD leader Salih Muslim was positive about the meetings with Turkey and said the meeting with Turkish officials came after an official invitation from the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
He said the discussed the security in the border areas and developments in ‘West-Kurdistan’ and emphasized the meetings were positive and will continue in the future. Muslim said Turkey needs a dialogue with the Kurds since Kurds live along both sides of the Syrian-Turkish border. Muslim said he didn’t meet the Turkish Foreign Minister, but only high-level officials of the Foreign Ministry. He also said that they explained the PYD’s view on an interim self-management in ‘West-Kurdistan’ and that the project doesn’t constitute a threat nor a step in the direction of separation. Muslim said that the views of the PYD and Turkey are very close and that Turkish officials might be more open to an interim civilian administration and that they promised humanitarian assistance. They also discussed the participation of the Supreme Kurdish Council and Kurdish representation inside the Syrian opposition. According to the PYD co-chair there is a change in Turkey’s attitude towards the PYD and that the talks have been an opportunity to ally the fears of the Turks. Moreover, they discussed the opening of border crossings and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Key points discussed:
– Opening borders/border security
– Humanitarian aid
– Explaining PYD project for interim government
– Showing that this government is no threat to Turkey
Source:
More info:
Another article by T24 on the visit.
My ORSAM article on what the PYD wants from Turkey.
Courtesy Wladimir van Wilgenburg