Speaking in a special program on Medya Haber TV, KCK Executive Council Co-Chair Besê Hozat pointed out that Turkey seeks to promote anti-Kurdish feelingss and to provoke conflicts between the Kurds and Syria.

Recent Developments in Turkish-Syrian Relations 

Hozat said: "Turkey’s diplomacy completely predicates itself on hostility towards the Kurds. Its relations with the Arab states are also based on this. Turkey has recently met representatives of the Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar and Egypt. In general, all the negotiations Turkey conducts in the Middle East, in Africa and worldwide are based on its hostility towards the Kurdish people. Now, Turkey is trying to win over the Arab countries for such an anti-Kurdish position. It is doing its best to prevent a democratic solution in Syria, to make Syria fight the Kurds and to deepen the war there. Turkey’s whole policy towards the Arab countries is based on this approach.

Different Arab countries have relations with Syria. Turkey is trying to use these relations in order to prevent the democratization of Syria and a democratic solution to the country’s problems with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. With regard to this issue, Turkey's policy is very clear: It seeks to promote anti-Kurdish sentiments, to provoke conflicts between the Kurds and Syria and to support war and genocide against the Kurds there. Through its relations with the Syrian state, Turkey is pursuing this kind of policy. It is also trying to draw Russia into this, just like it is trying to draw Syria, Iran and the Arab countries as a whole into this. Lately, the Syrian regime has had various meetings with Arab countries. Most recently, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia visited Damascus. There were various reports that Saudi Arabia invited Syria to return to the Arab League. Apart from Qatar, the other Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia, want Syria to join the Arab League again. Arab states are gradually re-opening their embassies in Syria. Today, Syria has relations with a variety of Arab countries, especially with the Gulf countries and Egypt. Relations with Damascus are gradually improving. This means the following: Arab countries recognize the current Assad government. There is an approach to including Syria in the Arab League again. But Qatar opposes this. Turkey and Qatar have strategic relations. Qatar is the only Arab country that differs on this issue."

Hozat continued: "The development of relations between Syria and the Arab countries is important. We attach great importance to it. Of course, we want these relations to be based on the democratization of Syria and the solution of the problems with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria on the basis of democratic negotiations. This is in Syria's interest. It is in the interest of all Arab countries and Arab society. Contradictions between Kurds and Arabs serve only the fascist, genocidal Turkish state. They do not serve any Arab country. Contradictions do not serve the Syrian state and Syrian society at all. From this point of view, it is very important that these relations progress towards a democratic solution to the problem. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria recently published a very important declaration. It declared that it considers the Syrian government's relations with the Arab countries to be important, that it wants to develop relations with all these countries as well, and that it is open to relations with all political structures, civil society organizations, Arab countries and societies and all groups of society that are in favor of a solution. The Autonomous Administration declared that it is its strategy to solve the existing problems within the framework of the territorial integrity of Syria, on a democratic basis and on the basis of the democratization of Syria. This is an extremely important declaration. This declaration issued by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria at a time when the relations between Damascus and the Arab countries are developing so intensely has complemented these developments. We are also in favor of such a solution. Of course, we are in favor of a democratic solution. We support the coming together of the Syrian state and government and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria on a democratic basis within Syrian borders to solve their problems. The real solution lies in the democratization of Syria. Syria will be democratized when the Kurds and all communities living in Syria gain their democratic rights. In this sense, we support all these efforts and find them very important."

Turkey is trying to turn Iraq into an enemy of the Kurds

Hozat said: "Turkey wants to improve its relations with Iraq. It has been working hard in this direction for a long time. It wants to play an influential role in the design of Iraq. For years, it has been making comprehensive efforts to organize the Turkmens, especially in Kirkuk. Turkey has taken a military foothold there. There is a lot of  information that Turkey has created serious organizational structures there. It is thus engaged in activities that are directed against Iraq. This is very clear. It has made Kirkuk the center of this policy. Turkey is trying to turn Iraq into an enemy of the Kurds. But it would not make sense for Iraq to have any problems with the Kurds. The Kurdish problem has been solved in South Kurdistan and Iraq. But Turkey is persistently trying to bring Iraq to this point. Of course, Iraq has not fallen for this for years. Iraq has no such problem. There is a status in South Kurdistan and there are relations on this basis. Iraq has recognized this in the constitution. Why should Iraq earn the enmity of the Kurds in North Kurdistan? Why should Iraq earn the enmity of the Kurds in Rojava? Why should it earn the enmity of the Kurds in its neighborhood? How would this benefit Iraq? Iraq knows this, of course. Therefore, it has approached this issue with state wisdom. It approaches this rationally."

Hozat added: "Iraq is faced with a very serious water problem. The water of the Euphrates river has been turned into a tool for blackmailing Iraq. For years the fascist AKP-MHP regime has cut off the water of the Euphrates river. This constitutes an international crime. There are laws for this in international conventions. But Turkey is violating them. In fact, Turkey is committing a crime against humanity. It violates international law. It is using this as a trump card against Iraq. It cuts off the water of the Euphrates. Now there is talk of a serious desertification in Iraq. Agriculture and animal husbandry cannot be done there anymore. This has really turned into a huge crisis. Turkey has turned this issue into a weapon. It is doing the same thing in Syria. Turkey is trying to use this as a trump card to drag Iraq into its own policy. It is trying to lure Iraq into hostility towards the Kurds. This is what Turkey is telling Iraq: ‘You must destroy the free Kurds. I am carrying out a genocide and you will support me. If you don't, I will cut off your water.’ Turkey has been using this against Iraq for years. Recently, there were reports that Iraqi officials went to Turkey to solve this water problem. Their main agenda may really be the water problem and the trade problem. There are many problems like these which, of course, might be on the agenda of Iraq. But this is not Turkey's agenda. Turkey's agenda is its enmity towards the Kurdish people. Turkey tries to put this on Iraq's agenda and to win Iraq’s support for its genocide and occupation attacks against the Kurds. It has demanded this from Iraq. This is not a secret. The Turkish state and the fascist AKP-MHP regime have said this themselves. We are sure that Iraq will not take part in such things. Because this would be of no benefit to the country. This would not be in Iraq's interest. It would only harm Iraq. Iraq's interest is in favor of a free future with the Kurds. It is in favor of a strategic alliance and unity."

Turkey tries to drag the PUK into a policy of treachery and collaboration 

Hozat said: "The Turkish state pursues the same policy in South Kurdistan. Genocidal attacks have been going on there for years. Turkey has occupied a significant part of South Kurdistan. It wants to increase these occupation attacks even more. Turkey is trying to widen its sphere of influence to all of the KDP-controlled territory. It is also trying to make Sulaymaniyah like Hewlêr. It wants to turn the PUK [Patriotic Union of Kurdistan] into the KDP. It wants to drag the PUK into a policy of treachery and collaboration like the KDP. This is the main reason for Turkey’s attacks. For example, Turkey could have carried out its recent attack on Mazlum Abdi [commander of Syrian Democratic Forces] far away from the airport [in Sulaymaniyah], but it didn't. Turkey deliberately attacked close to the airport. Because it wants to establish control over Sulaymaniyah Airport. Turkey attacked close to the airport so that it could inflict serious pressure, get concessions and establish control over Sulaymaniyah Airport. Likewise, Turkey used the helicopters that crashed as a justification. But the International Coalition has been waging a joint fight [with the SDF] against ISIS for years. They have relations accordingly. The movement of these helicopters took place as part of the fight against ISIS. This was an accident but Turkey has been trying to use this as an excuse. It has been trying to do this for years. Turkey wants to increase the genocidal war on the eve of the elections. It plans to win the upcoming elections through war. If, through pressures in this direction, Turkey succeeds in drawing the PUK into a treacherous and collaborating policy, if Turkey establishes control over it like it has over the KDP, then Turkey will be able to carry out its war of genocide in any way it wants. The AKP-MHP’s plan is to win the elections by intensifying this agenda in Turkey to get the votes of racist, fascist and nationalist groups. This is also going on in Rojava with all its intensity. [Turkish] Operations and attacks continue every day in the Medya Defense Zones and North Kurdistan as well. Turkey is thus waging a total war. It is also doing this in South Kurdistan by trying to include the PUK. Until now, the PUK’s stance has been important. It has not moved over to the line of the KDP. It has refused to become a traitor, collaborator and partner in the Kurdish genocide. It has taken a clear stance against all this. This is extremely important. This is a patriotic stance. Of course, this needs to be strengthened. If the PUK adopts the KDP line just like Turkey wants it to, the PUK will be finished. The reason for its existence will cease to exist. The PUK’s patriotic sensitivity is what makes it the PUK. Without this attitude, it would not be different from the KDP. Then, the PUK would cease to exist. It would have no credibility and would simply be finished. For the PUK, this would be suicide."

Hozat continued: "The KDP imposes spying on our patriotic people who come to South Kurdistan for political reasons. It says to them: ‘You will spy for the MIT. If you become a spy, you can live here. But if you don't, we won't let you live here. Then you have to leave or I will hand you over to Turkey.’ Those who refuse to comply are killed in partnership with MIT. This is why the attacks on Zeki Çelebi and Hüseyin Türeli took place. The recent statements of the KDP with regards to this issue are a disgrace. I believe that in their conscience, the Kurds really condemn the KDP. The Kurdish people have condemned it because of this mentality and dirty policy. History has condemned the KDP."