Barzani opposes ‘unilateral’ autonomy for Rojava

KT News:

Masud Barzani

Masud Barzani

Masud Barzani, president of the autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq, has condemned the declaration of interim autonomy for West Kurdistan/Syria – also known as Rojava – made this week by the PYD (Democratic Union Party) and its allies.

The autonomy declaration followed a string of military successes by the YPG (Committees for the Protection of the Kurds) against al Qaeda-affiliated jihadists.  “In light of the current circumstances which Syria is going through, and in order to fill an administrative vacuum… we see it as an utmost necessity to reach a transitional, pluralistic, democratic administration,” announced a PYD-led committee of Kurds and others in Qamishli.

However, Barzani yesterday issued an official statement saying he was “concerned about the future of the Western Kurdistan and there is a danger that this golden opportunity will be lost on the Kurds”.

He accused the PYD of backing Assad and alienating Kurds from the Syrian opposition. He also seemed to criticise it for taking up arms against the jihadists:

“The Syrian regime has offered no rights to the Kurds for the PYD to offer its support to the regime. This is at a time when the Syrian opposition also considers the Kurds to be siding with the regime, and this will present our people with major problems in the future. As a result of the PYD joining the war, tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds have become refugees.”

At a press conference on Wednesday, PYD  leader Salih Muslim – who recently lost a son in the fighting – denied that his party was cooperating at some level with Assad.

“I don’t think Assad would accept autonomy for us because even until the last minute he refused,” he said.

Muslim also claimed that the PYD had received aid, money and weapons from Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), as well as from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey.

He said the PYD was willing to attend the expected Geneva conference of the Syrian opposition so long as it allowed Kurdish representation.

One Response to Barzani opposes ‘unilateral’ autonomy for Rojava
  1. Kawa
    November 15, 2013 | 21:36

    This dude is an American proxy, corrupt, as well. Misleading and deceiving his people with false nationalistic slogans! Poor Kurds!

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