Western Kurds not seeking independence: Salih Muslim / Nawaf Khalil (Germany)

MESOP 20.7.2013 – The Syrian pro-Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) leader Salih Muslim said on Friday that the Kurds aims to set up an independent council to run Kurdish regions until Syria’s civil war has ended, denying they are seeking independence.

People Defense Units (YPG), known as military branch of PYD, seized control of northern Syrian city of Sari Kani days ago along with cities they have brought under their control since last year.

“This is not a call for a separation it is just that for a year now we have been on our own in our own territories and people have needs, they want some kind of administration to run their issues, they cannot be left like that,” Muslim said after YPG members forced Jibhat al-Nusra forces out of Sari Kani.

Muslim said they were the Nusra fighters who breached agreement and started violence in the city. He said once an agreement is reached an election will be held within three to four months to chose administration officials. He expected a final decision in a week or two. “This administration will be like a temporary government,” PYD spokesman Nawaf Khalil told Reuters from his home in exile in Germany. “We need to protect our borders and our people, we need to do something to improve the economic situation. “We also militarily have to face both Assad’s regime and the rebels and the Turks. And we hope to try to improve our relationships with all of these neighbors.”