A meeting on Saturday in Brussels, hosted by the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), a European coalition of Kurdish organisations, addressed the imminent threat of Turkish military operations into the Kurdish-populated northern regions of Syria and Iraq, calling for international solidarity and action to prevent these aggressions and protect Kurdish rights and territories.
The Joint Diplomatic Committee of Kurdish Political Organisations and the Centennial Committee of the Treaty of Lausanne, along with independent Kurdish figures, convened to address the critical situation in Kurdish regions due to Turkey’s escalating military threats.
They issued a comprehensive statement, condemning Turkey’s aims to undermine Kurdish achievements and calling for a collective struggle against these threats, leveraging diplomacy to garner support from the United States, Europe, Russia and Arab countries.
The meeting also highlighted Turkey’s strategic use of the Iraqi route to influence the Kurdistan Region and Iraqi central governments, with frequent delegations to Ankara from Iraq, aiming to involve them in policies detrimental to Kurdish interests. The participants criticised Turkey’s intention to replicate in northern Syria the mistakes made in northern Iraq, urging Kurds to understand the implications of such statements.
The resolution issued at the meeting emphasised the need for Kurdish unity against Turkey’s plans, calling on the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leadership to stand firm against efforts to dismantle the status of the Kurdistan Region. It also condemned the Turkish government’s threats against the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the imposition of pressure on the Sulaymaniyah (Slemani) region.
Key points from the meeting include:
– Highlighting the urgency of addressing Turkey’s military preparations and aggression towards the Kurdish regions in Syria and Iraq.
– Commending the PUK’s stance against Turkey’s unjust demands and condemning threats against it.
– Urging all Kurdish parties, organisations and institutions to strengthen national unity and resist aggressors collectively.
– Calling on the Iraqi government to oppose Turkish military operations, dismantle military bases and end the Turkish military presence in Iraq.
– Encouraging Turkey to cease threats and aggressions and engage in peace and political dialogue.
– Urging the United Nations, global powers and the international community to oppose Turkish threats and support the Kurdish struggle for freedom.
The meeting solidified a unified call for action against Turkish aggressions, advocating for peace, dialogue and the rights of the Kurdish people to self-determination.
