The Annual International Conference on the EU, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds was hosted by the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) in cooperation with the GUE/NGL Group, the Greens-European Free Alliance (GREENS/EFA) and the Groups of the Free Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D). The conference was successfully held on 5th and 6th of February 2020 in the European Parliament in Brussels.

After his first visit to the country, the Turkey Rapporteur for the European Parliament said, new narratives are needed for the relationship between Turkey and the EU. From the perspective of the conference, new narratives are also needed, not only for relations with Turkey, but also for the whole Middle East. The Kurds are a major influential factor here in terms of stability, peace building, democracy, ecology and gender equality. Together with their regional allies and due to their global perspectives, they provide a basis for new narratives in a region marked by wars and crises. Strengthening cooperation with these democratic forces should therefore be a top priority.

Based on this the conference calls upon the EU member states, the European institutions and the United Nations to:

- Treat Turkey’s occupation of North Syria / Rojava as a clear violation of international law, condemn its policy of ethnic cleansing in the occupied territory, and call for an immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops.

- Recognise the North-East Syria’s Autonomous Administration as an important step towards a political solution to the Syrian conflict and to integrate their representatives in the commission for the establishment of a new constitution for Syria. The best way for a solution is to include all ethnic and religious entities in a democratic process leading to a decentralized self-administration with equal rights for women and men.

- Urge Turkey to stop airstrikes and its occupationist endeavors in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq which is a clear violation of international law.

- Urge Turkey to release all elected officials and members of the HDP, to respect the decision of the electorates, and to reinstitute the mayors replaced by the government appointed trustees.

- Not to sacrifice the EU’s democratic values by caving in to Turkey’s blackmailing on the issues of refugee crisis and the jihadist threat.

- Take diplomatic, political and legal measures to compel Turkey to comply with international law concerning the ongoing isolation of Abdullah Ocalan, and urge the Turkish government to immediately release him and to return to dialogue for a political solution to the Kurdish question.

- Contribute to a political solution by lifting all restrictions on Kurdish parties and individuals, in light of the decisions of the European Court of Justice and the Belgian Court of Cassation, which insist that the PKK is not a terrorist organization but a party to an internal armed conflict.

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