PYD Co-chair Saleh Moslem stated that Turkey will face a reaction by the coalition forces if they repeat their attacks on Rojava and added: “As the circle tightens around ISIS, it tightens around Turkey as well.”

PYD (Democratic Union Party) Co-chair Saleh Moslem spoke to the ANF about the recent developments.

“ASTANA DECISIONS DON’T SERVE SYRIA’S FUTURE”

Moslem commented on the decisions taken by Russia, Turkey and Iran to create security zones in various areas in Syria in the recent Astana meetings and said: “The decision to create security zones is not clear, there are hidden articles not included in the declared decisions, and this doesn’t serve Syria’s unity or future.”

“NEGOTIATIONS ARE BEHIND THE DECISIONS”

Moslem said the security zones to be formed according to the decisions taken are far from Rojava and won’t affect them much and continued: “We don’t believe that these decisions will serve the future of Syria. The decisions made here are a matter of negotiation and they are part of a treaty with hidden parts between Turkey and Iran. They say the goal with the security zones is to prevent the violence and bloodshed in Syria but the underlying actual aim is different. There are negotiations behind them. The decisions are not to benefit Syria. If there are true efforts to stop the bloodshed in Syria, we are ready to give support.”

“TURKEY SHOWS ONCE MORE THAT THEY WANT TO PROTECT ISIS”

Moslem stressed that Turkey’s reaction against the US giving weapons to the YPG is very unnecessary and added: “With this stance they take, Turkey shows once more that they want to protect ISIS. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a movement that fights most effectively against ISIS along with the coalition forces. Even though Turkey is involved in the coalition, they don’t show any effort to fight ISIS. Turkey’s efforts are geared towards protecting and upholding ISIS. The whole world knows that Turkey stands with ISIS.”

“AS THE CIRCLE TIGHTENS AROUND ISIS, IT TIGHTENS AROUND TURKEY AS WELL”

Moslem said Raqqa is the last stronghold left for ISIS and that Turkey doesn’t want Raqqa to be cleared of ISIS. He said: “As the circle tightens around ISIS with the Raqqa operation, it tightens around Turkey as well. It disturbs Turkey a lot that the US is giving the YPG weapons under just such circumstances.”

“IF THE ATTACKS ARE REPEATED, THE COALITION WILL REACT”

Moslem spoke on Turkey’s attacks on Shengal and Rojava and stressed that Turkey meant to provide ISIS breathing room with their attack. He pointed out that Turkey carried out the attack without approval from the coalition and stated that he doesn’t believe Turkey will attempt such attacks in the future anymore. Moslem said: “If the attacks are repeated, the coalition forces will have a reaction. They know it very well that we are the most important force against ISIS. If we are stabbed in the back in this period, they will have a reaction.”

“TRUMP IS CLEAR ON COOPERATING WITH US, HE WILL TELL ERDOĞAN THAT AS WELL”

PYD Co-president also answered our question on the Turkish President Erdoğan’s visit to the US in the coming days and stated that the doesn’t think Erdoğan will achieve any result in the meeting he will have with US President Donald Trump.

“The US and Trump are clear about the YPG, and Turkey has to come to terms with this fact,” said Moslem and continued: “If Erdoğan bows before the US, if he accepts the US demands as they are, something will come out of the meeting, otherwise there won’t be any result achieved because the US and Trump himself are very clear regarding their stance towards us. In the collaboration between the US and the YPG, President Trump’s approach is definitive and clear. At this point, he will say the same to Erdoğan. On the other hand, the US and their president Trump knows very well who Turkey’s regional policies are meant to protect, and they have something to say on this matter to Turkey.”

“GENEVA WILL BE FRUITLESS AGAIN”

Moslem also spoke on the Geneva talks scheduled to start again on May 16 and stated that these meetings, like the others before, will again be fruitless and will just be a repeat of the previous rounds.

“WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH DE MISTURA’S TEAM”

Moslem pointed out that even though they are not attending the Geneva talks, they are in contact with people in the UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura’s team and continued: “We do have a relationship with the people who administer the talks, but there is no advance in our attendance. But like we said the first day, we repeat today that there can’t be a political solution without us. Even though we are not in Geneva, we are not the loser in this process. The US and Russia know very well that without us, there can be no political solution in Syria. We may not be at the table now due to Turkey’s approach, but the forces that know there won’t be a political solution without Kurds want to include us in this process without discarding Turkey.

“THE US AND RUSSIA KNOW VERY WELL THAT THERE CAN BE NO POLITICAL SOLUTION WITHOUT US”

Turkey blackmails these forces by demanding they choose either them “or the Kurds”, and they don’t want to discard Turkey due to its position but they don’t give up on us either. In the face of Turkey’s narrative, we say, ‘You can have a relationship with both us and Turkey. We don’t consider Turkey an enemy.’ Due to both the policies we put forth and our presence in the field, these forces are trying to convince Turkey so we will be at the table as well.

If Turkey insists on anti-Kurdish sentiment and that we aren’t at the table, these forces will have something to say to Turkey. Because both the US and Russia know very well that there can be no political solution without us.”