Rojava Cantons General Coordination issued a statement on the outcome of the coordination meeting where they assessed the recent political developments in Syria and the region.

The Coordination statement reads: “The Rojava Cantons General Coordination convened on October 10, 2016 to assess the political developments in Syria and the region. We would like to share our views and the political situation in the region in the face of the historic weight placed on our shoulders by the developments.

Since the day the people of Syria first rose up against the given system, we have taken up and followed a democratic line. Despite all obstacles and oppression on our way, we didn’t step back and we fought against all forces that wanted to disrupt the cultural tapestry of Syria. An invaluable price has been paid for our people, who were subjected to all the despotic practices of the government and who are still suffering. During this time, we have submitted several projects for protecting the unity of Syria. Unless a unity can be developed in Syria, and in case it falls apart, great unstoppable dangers await Syria.

All parties in the meeting agree that the democratic federal system project offers an alternative solution to the crisis in Syria and that it isn’t a unilateral solution project. Some parties in the meeting stated that considering the current political situation and the crisis in the country, the democratic federal system constitutes a necessity.

To protect our region from the deepening crisis and the ISIS gangs and to establish peace in our region, we have organised around our administrative system.

As a reminder, since the beginning of the crisis and up to now, we wanted to attend the meetings in Geneva and other meetings in that context. But the international powers and the regional powers under their control kept us in the background in these talks. Despite this, we continued our organisational efforts in the region and defended the organisation that emerged with our defense force, and we continue to do so. But we repeat that we are ready to take our place at the table with an independent committee to solve the crisis in Syria with political peaceful means in Geneva or other talks.”

The statement made the following points afterwards:

“We would like to state that we are a leading force of the democratic nation and an important part of the opposition in Syria. We are an opposition force who have been fighting the Syrian regime since before the revolution. We have paid an invaluable price to change the political practices imposed upon us. The so called opposition, the chauvinist political groups who were far from being radical or democratic, denied the existence of our people and our structures and tried to keep us away from the efforts of unity. The Jabhat Al Nusra, Ahrar Al Sham and other such forces in the opposition have caused the revolutionary opposition in Syria to derail and the revolution to become an agenda for foreign powers. Thus we would like to call on the Syrian coalition to stop their chauvinist approach of denying our people and to weed out radical terrorist groups from within their organisations. We declare that if they employ democratic policies, we are ready to sit with them and develop our relationship.

In our meeting, we have analyzed the relationships among the Turkey and Kurdistan region and neighboring countries. In the discussions, we have come to the conclusion that we approached these countries as neighbors after we started controlling our region. We have never had an adverse approach to the administrative systems of any of the neighboring countries, including Turkey. Even though the vile attacks carried out by the Turkish state on our people in Bakurê Kurdistan created a negative effect, we based ourselves on protecting the neighbor principles. There has never been a development on our borders that endangers the Turkish state. Despite this, the Turkish state has intervened in our territory, and targeted and murdered civilian citizens on the border daily, and has endangered the lives of our citizens who live in the border regions.

We would like to point out the Turkish state’s claims that we receive material and moral support from PKK. These baseless accusations are entirely without merit.

We are in war against ISIS, it is clear that we are in need of material and moral support. This will also emerge as the proof that we are not aiding the PKK. We have a relationship with the PKK just as we have with all Kurdish parties, and that is all. We are an independent power. Our decisions are made with our assemblies and our institutions. These efforts of Turkey are only enmity and are aimed at wearing down the essence of our revolution.

The war and conflict in Turkey, the political, physical and cultural genocide operations against Kurds, are dragging Turkey to destruction. This is why we call on the international powers to take action and play their role to stop this war that will end with the destruction of the peoples of Turkey. Both parties should bring forth an initiative to stop this war and sit at the negotiation table. We declare that we are prepared to play a role to end the chaos in Turkey and to develop a peaceful and democratic solution and that we will fulfill all necessary duties.

We would like to repeat once more that if the Turkish state respects international laws and minds the rights of the neighbor, and stops their enmity towards the Kurdish people, we are ready to develop our relationship with them.

In the meeting, we have analyzed our relationship to the KDP, Rojava and Bashurê Kurdistan as well. We were hoping that KDP would be a solution for Rojava in defusing threats in the region, but that didn’t happen. But despite all their approaches that go against the fraternal rights, we have never stepped back on our faith and ideology that will further the unity of peoples and serve our people. KDP placed an embargo on our region, they threatened us with our people’s hunger, and made a goal out of unmanning the region. Again, they wanted to interfere with our internal affairs. And that has placed a negative strain on our relationship.

As stated before, we as peoples have an intertwined fate, and we can stop the threats ahead together. To this end, our only way is the democratic national unity. And this is possible through a Kurdish National Congress to unify our people’s political will. Turning Kurds against one another only serves the enemies of the Kurds, so if KDP and other parties under their control accept the Democratic Autonomous Administration, we can sit down with them and develop a dialogue.

Lastly, for the last six years our region has seen historic moments of resistance against the enemies of humanity, ISIS and Jabhat Al Nusra. We would like to state that this historic resistance will continue until all Syrian lands are cleared off ISIS, including Raqqa and Bab. We declare to the whole world that we will continue our fight until the security of our region and the safety of our people are guaranteed.

There are many dangers up ahead. Thus, we know this resistance won’t be ordinary or easy. But we also know that there are historic opportunities up ahead. We have our faith locked on our goal, and our strength.”