NEWS CENTER - Pointing out that the settling of HTS in Afrin is part of Turkey's tactics towards the region, PYD Co-Presidency Board Member Aldar Xelîl said: "The aim is to find a way to reconcile with the government of Damascus."
Insisting on chaos and conflict in his Syria policy, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to seek dialogue with Syria, where Bashar Assad is the President, whom he calls "Killer Assad" and "Terrorist". Trying to put into effect his new plans for Northern and Eastern Syria, where he continues his attacks, Erdoğan changed his policy in Afrin, which he invaded before. Erdogan is trying to mend his relations with Damascus by replacing the Free Syrian Army (FSA) with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) groups. Democratic Union Party (PYD) Co-Presidency Board Member Aldar Xelîl evaluated Turkey's dialogue attempts with Syria, the Damascus government's approach to the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration, and the plans carried out over Afrin to the Hawar News Agency (ANHA).
Recently, the Turkish government is trying to develop relations with the Damascus Government. After intelligence-level meetings, they now want government-level meetings. The Turkish state, which called the Ba 'ath regime "terrorist", why have you now started such endeavours, what is your assessment of this?
Turkish state has intervened in the situation since the beginning of the Syrian Revolution to date. It wanted to exploit the changes taking place in Syria at utmost, its tongue says, "If there is a change, it should be in my favour", so it intervened in all parties and forces that want to make changes in the region. As a result, it was the reason why peaceful protests turned into confrontations, and opposition approaches and policies changed into mercenaries. The crisis has prolonged. Erdogan and Turkish state officials were saying 24 hours: We are against the Bashar regime, we stand with the Syrian people, they opened the border and took half the Syrian people to Turkey, and from there they spread all over the world. It exploited the refugee issue and pressured Europe and other countries, as it used them against Syria. If the Government of Damascus remains today and can commit massacres, there is no stability in Syria and there is no democratic force, all this is due to the Turkish State's intervention. Shortly after, the Turkish government immediately intervened militarily and moved mercenaries into Syrian territory to move them like chess stones.
Are the confrontations in Afrin between the mercenaries and the entry of Tahrir al-Sham into the region related to this?
This situation is one of the outcome of these endeavors. On the one hand, Turkey eases the burden on Idlib, as the Government of Damascus prepares to take control of the Bab al-Hawa Crossing. On the other hand, Turkey wants to give Tahrir al-Sham an area like Afrin to persuade it to get it out of some areas of Idlib. If it is not Afrin, they want to give them areas such as the al-Bab, Jarablous, or Azaz. The purpose is to find a way to reconcile with the Government of Damascus. Opposition groups turned mercenaries are now weak and ineffective. Turks will keep their presence for use at the time of need. But it will not give them political, military and economic support. Furthermore, they will try to find alternatives to them in Afrin and elsewhere.
In this case, what will be the position of the Government of Damascus?
The Damascus Government could somewhat retreat. It 'll say, 'Well, at least it can save me from the burden of these people turned into anti-Syrian parties. Of course, other groups such as ISIS/ Daesh and Jabhet al-Nusra are illegitimate in the world. And I can get rid of them in any way. But other people's situation was different. Erdogan explicitly admits that he used the people, revolution and Syria's cause for his own benefit and trades it with the Damascus Government. He also traded with Russians around the Damascus Government. Damascus government says: These areas out of my control, and we are weak. The Turkish state will move from a 24-hour state of hostility to a side situation ", so it considers this a victory and does not care about anything else.
Can you explain this a little bit, about what to make deals?
The Turkish government wants the Government of Damascus to renew the Adana Agreement. They want to add some clauses to the Adana Agreement. How? Earlier, Turkey was allowed to enter 10 kilometres inside Syrian territory. Now Turkey is not even satisfied with 30 kilometers. The Damascus government is not in a position to refuse. The people of Syria must know that the Turkish state and its occupation have put obstacles to their success. All the people of Syria must have a clear position on this matter.
Efforts to improve relations between Damascus and Ankara have escalated following the Turkish state's threats to occupy new areas. In particular, the Turkish state's endeavours have emerged at Sochi and Tehran meetings. Recently, Putin and Erdogan met in Astana. How do you meet Erdogan and Putin?
The Turkish state currently benefits from many things. First, the Damascus Government is unimpressive. Secondly, Russia is in trouble. Russia's post-war situation in Ukraine has changed. It needs the Turkish State so that its economy does not collapse, frees itself from blockade, and can sell gas and oil and be unbeatable in Ukraine. The Turkish State exploits and benefits from these issues. On a daily basis there are joint schemes between Turks and Russians. The Turks communicate with the Russians and say to NATO "Look I have the alternative" and impose their demands on them. Turkey is Russia's neighbour, and Russia can only break the blockade through it. They both need each other. The best suitable and convenient place to make deals is Syria.
The main themes of these meetings for Turkey are AANES and Kurds. For Russia, it is the situation in Ukraine. As a result of these meetings, shelling continues in the AANES’ areas. Russia wants to put Europe in a stalemate and be free from its pressure. Erdogan may also help the Russians with this. Erdogan will try to make more deals in order to implement his project against AANES and Kurds.
Days ago, the Government of Damascus gathered several elders and clan leaders from North and East Syria in Aleppo and tried to incite them on AANES. How do you evaluate this step by the Damascus Government?
In the view of the Damascus authorities, Turks no longer attack them as before and want to establish relations. That's why it seeks to show its strength. It is currently making deals around the occupied areas as well as liberated areas under the authority of AANES. It can't attack directly so it behaves differently, they want to create discord. It wants to remove the peoples of the region from this administration in some form. Attempts like this have been made before, but nothing has worked. Instead of working to reconcile, reconciliation and find solutions, they hold such meetings. What will you achieve in these ways?
This is not a right policy, it puts people in the line of criminals and offenders. It had to tell these sheikhs and notables "how to solve our problems." If they had, they could have represented Syria, all Syrians. On the contrary, however, it does not take into account the major conflicts and problems that will arise on this land in the future. Their only concern is how to exploit people for their own good. Such meetings are detrimental to the unity of the Syrian people. But it cannot destroy the AANES of these meetings. Anyone who wants Syria's interest will not oppose this administration, but will defend it.
How can talks develop between the AANES and the Damascus Government and what should the Damascus government do to resolve the crisis in Syria?
AANES and the Government of Damascus must sit together and agree, whether today, tomorrow or at any time. The problems in this country have been greatly exacerbated, if we really want the interests of the Syrian people, we must come together. If we meet, we can develop a solution. There are some issues where our views are not identical. But there are many issues that we can solve. We are saying, as well as the Damascus Government, that we do not want to divide Syria. But the Government of Damascus continues to act on the central mind and is far from resolved. If they wanted a solution, they wouldn't bring those notables together. Why will Erdogan and Bashar come together, when we will not be able to sit with Damascus? If we gather, we'll say things for Syria's sake. We will express our readiness to resolve all Kurdish issue and issues. We never said "No other than Kurds." If you accept us, we also accept Syria's unity and sovereignty.
We are part of this homeland, but we also want our rights and our issues resolved. We are not surprised that international forces such as Russia, the Alliance, Arab States, etc. It seeks to push Damascus a step towards a solution. In order to resolve the situation of AANES’ areas, and even the situation of the Damascus Government, we must sit together. What is the status of the Government of Damascus? 10 years ago, many States declared that "we do not accept this regime." They should not be fooled by Erdogan's words when he says, "We will negotiate together." He wants to exploit the Government of Damascus and use it to pressure us, the opposition and other States. This is not in the interest of the Government of Damascus.