Syrian opposition leader promises constitutional recognition to Kurds
ERBIL, Aug.4 (AKnews)- Abdul-Basit Sayda, the Kurdish chairman of the Syrian National Council (SNC), said the Kurdish issue should be resolved through constitutional recognition of Kurds.
Sayda arrived in the Kurdistan Region on Aug.1 for meeting with Kurdistan's President Massoud Barzani, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu and members of the Kurdish National Council of Syria (KNCS) over the Syrian crisis.
Sayda told a press conference late yesterday evening in Divan Hotel of Erbil that the aim behind his visit to the Kurdistan Region is discussing the current situation of Syria.
Commenting on the concerns of Syrian Kurds about the SNC's recognition of ethnic rights of Kurds, Syada said "the Kurdish issue is part of the general crisis in the country and will be resolved within the national project [of the SNC] and through the constitution.
"We recognize the Kurdish identity and the Kurdish nation should not be oppressed anymore; it should rather be compensated for the past."
A quadrilateral meeting among the Turkish FM, SNC, KNCS and representative of the Kurdistan Region was held and the participants underlined the importance of protecting the territorial unity of Syria, SNC chairman said.
Sayda added the participants in the meeting also supported the national project proposed by the SNC.
He continued "we told the Turkish FM that the Kurdish issue in Turkey should be resolved peacefully and with the settlement of the Kurdish issue in this area the situation of the region will be stabilized."
The official added his meeting with Barzani was to ask Kurdistan president to open Kurdistan's border to all Syrian refugees indiscriminately.
Commenting on reports of sidelining the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) of Syria to Erbil meeting which break up the joint committee of the KNCS and the People's Council of Western Kurdistan (PCWK), Sayda said the issue "is not related to sidelining them because the meeting was for SNC and KNCS."
Turkey regards the PYD affiliate of the Turkish dissident organization, Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed his government will not allow for these "terrorist" parties to control any parts of Syria. However, the two parties currently control some mainly Kurdish areas in Syria.
As for hoisting Kurdistan flag over the liberated Kurdish areas of Syria, Sayda said the act by Kurds is to show the Kurdish identity and does not imply any separatist aspirations of the Kurdish forces.
"No force or political party demand or aspire for separation… Syrian Kurds support the territorial unity of the country," Sayda said.
He continued so far the confrontations between the Free Syrian Army and army of [Bashar] al-Assad's regime in Aleppo continue and the Free Army does not withdraw.
Sayda said "the Syrian regime has lost its legitimacy and internal, regional and international trust…. We support the rebels."
The official was critical of the Iraqi government for deploying army at the borders.
"This is while we expected the Iraqi government to assist the Syrian peoples because the Iraqi nation and the current government endured too much agony under the oppression of the former Iraqi dictator and the government had to understand the issues and anguish of the Syrian peoples."
Author: talsor » Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:16 am 
