President of the Syrian Coalition Anas al-Abda met with Turkey-based Syrian Kurdish activists and discussed with them the latest political and on the ground developments. The meeting was organized by the Kurdish National Council, a component of the Coalition, with the aim of strengthening the bonds of the relationship and exchanging views on the appropriate plans and positions to address the upcoming challenges.
At the beginning of the meeting, al-Abda stressed the need to strengthen the relations among the components of the Syrian society. He said that the relationship between the Coalition and the Kurdish National Council is a strategic alliance within a unified Syrian land and people. He pointed out that Syria cannot be a state based on freedom and justice without the participation of all its sons and daughters and without guaranteeing their rights.
Al-Abda stressed that the agreement between the Coalition and the Kurdish National Council is a significant progress in the views of the forces of opposition to the rest of the spectra of the Syrian society. He said he was looking forward to strengthening this strategic relationship for the benefit of Syria, stressing the importance of the development of this relationship to lay the groundwork of real partnership in Syria.
Secretary-General of the Syrian Coalition Abdul Basit Abdul Latif, hailed the meeting with the Syrian community in Istanbul, especially with the people of the Syrian al-Jazeera region. He recalled the honorable positions of the leadership of the Kurdish National Council in the first days of the Syrian revolution, most notably those of the late Mesha’al Tammu. He stressed that the Kurds are an essential component of the Syrian social fabric.
Vice-president of the Syrian Coalition Abdulhakim Bashar underscored the importance of mutual understanding among the Syrian people and of building a clearly defined, real strategy. He also pointed to the importance of the Syrian Kurds to realize that their destination should be inside Syria side by side with their Syrian brothers and not outside the borders of Syria as in the case with the PYD militia. He stressed that the political positions are changeable unlike the geography which is constant.
Moreover, Bashar said that we and the Arabs and the rest of the Syrian components are partners in the homeland as were looking for the best formula to strengthen this partnership. He added that it is in the interest of the Kurds to build the best relationship with the partners in the country, noting that without partnership with all Syrians we will move towards political suicide which some certain parties are seeking to impose on the Kurds. “On the contrary, we have to work to build the best relationship with our partners in the homeland.”
Bashar said that it is not in the interest of the Kurds to show hostility towards the neighbors both at home and abroad or to create problems with Turkey. It is also not in the interest of the Kurds to provoke Ankara, he said, adding that good relationships with other Syrian components and with Turkey is in the interest of the Kurds now and in the future. He stressed that the number one enemy to the Syrian Kurds is in Damascus, not in Turkey, calling for maintaining the good relations with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
With regards to Afrin, Bashar said that this issue “cannot be addressed through the exchange of accusations on social media, but through dealing with the Turkish government and the Syrian Coalition.” He warned of attempts by some parties to exploit violations to serve external agendas only.
Member of the Coalition’s political committee Abdullah Sarhan Kaddo called for working realistically away from romanticism and political idealism. He also called for working together to achieve the goals for which the Syrian people have risen up, namely freedom, dignity, justice and democracy.
Kaddo urged activists and the youth to stay away from provocations which only serve the Assad regime, reminding the people of Kobani, Qamishli and Afrin that they should not promote slogans or signs against another country. He also advised against believing those who promote utopian slogans and to work with political realism, adding that their cause and that of the Syrian people in general are inside Syria and not anywhere else. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
