KNK member Hiso: Turkish state will make huge concessions in Astana talks

Politician Ekrem Hiso said that the Turkish state would make huge concessions to Russia, Damascus and Iran in return for keeping the Til Koçer (Yarubiyah) border crossing closed.

Russia, Turkey and Iran including some armed groups in Syria have taken part in the Astana talks, the first of which was held on January 23-24, 2017. After the 4th meeting, the scope of the talks changed and took on a military dimension. Recently, General Jaroslav Moskalek of the Russian Army announced that the 16th round of Astana talks will be held in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan.

Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) Executive Council Member Ekrem Hiso spoke to ANHA about the 16th session of the Astana talks. Hiso noted that the Astana talks came to the fore after Turkey's provocations in Ukraine and Bologna. According to Hiso, since the Turkish state could not find the support it expected from NATO, it has focused on the Astana talks again.

‘TURKISH STATE SEEKS TO FILL GAPS WITH ASTANA’

Hiso pointed out that the Turkish state is trying to improve its relations with Russia. “Turkey is trying to improve its relations with Russia in order to fill the political vacuum it has fallen into. Lavrov and Çavuşoğlu met in Antalya. Details of this meeting will be revealed after the Astana talks. A number of new decisions will be taken at this meeting. The Turkish state's failure to implement the previous decisions will also be discussed,” he said.

‘HUMANITARIAN AIDS’

Hiso noted that the Turkish state wants the 16th talks to start immediately. “The Syrian opposition, the Damascus government, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq will also participate in the talks in Nus Sultan. These meetings are conducted within the framework of Article 10 of UN Resolution 2254. The talks are expected to secure a permanent ceasefire. However, the talks, which in the beginning promoted humanitarian purposes, have evolved into a military process. Each state has tried to realize its own agenda. Another issue that has not been discussed before will be brought up in new rounds of the talks. The issue concerns the humanitarian aid to be sent through border crossings. The reason why this issue is put on the table is that this issue was brought up at the Biden-Putin summit.”

'TURKISH STATE UNDER PRESSURE'

Hiso stressed the Turkish state will participate in the negotiations under serious pressures. “The Turkish state is ready to make all kinds of concessions to make sure that the Til Koçer border crossing remains closed and humanitarian aid does not go to North and East Syria. Turkey will make huge concessions to many states, including Syria, Iran and Russia. Turkey’s sole purpose is to keep the Til Koçer Gate closed.”

“The Turkish state could not get the support it expected from NATO in case of a possible attack by Syria and Russia. Since it could not find this support, it could not respond to Russia in the Ukraine and Bologna crises,” he noted.

“The 16th Astana meeting will only prolong the Syrian crisis and increase the suffering of the Syrian peoples,” Hiso concluded.