Salih Muslim:World Powers Not Serious About Peace in Syria

[Aslan]

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – Intransigence on the part of both the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and international actors is undermining prospects for a solution to the conflict in Syria, Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chairman Salih Muslim said.

In a May 29 statement on the anticipated Geneva conference to be hosted by the US and Russia later this summer, the SNC reiterated its position for talks with the Syrian government, saying it “requires the head of the regime, security and military leadership to step down and be excluded from the political process."

Muslim, a leader of the National Coordination Body (NCB), a coalition of opposition groups based in Syria which favors dialogue over violence, said the SNC's position would only encourage a continuation of the war.

“If they are saying Assad should go out or fall before any negotiations, it means they are not willing to negotiate. If they insist for Assad to leave before dialogue, it means Assad will stay for more than 20 years," Muslim told Rudaw. "There are sides supplying him with weapons and money, and he won’t hesitate to kill tens of thousands.”

Muslim added that the failure to invite Iran to the talks, a crucial actor in the Syrian conflict, showed that international powers were also not serious about reaching a solution. He called on Western countries to pressure Saudi Arabia and Qatar to stop sending weapons to armed factions. The Syrian regime would not sincerely negotiate without being forced by Russia and Iran, he said.

Muslim confirmed that the NCB was invited to the Geneva conference and is planning to participate. The Supreme Kurdish Council has applied to Moscow and Washington for permission to join, but has yet to receive an answer, he said.

“In the future, if they are going to have any deal with the Kurds, they will need to deal with the Supreme Kurdish Committee,” Muslim said. “We would like to have good relations with the United States. We see Western democracy as a solution for the Middle East,” Muslim said, dismissing allegations that the PYD represses other Kurdish parties as "not true."

The PYD leader's statement comes amid speculation that relations between Syrian Kurdish and the exile-based Syrian opposition could improve as Turkey and the Kurdisatan Workers Party (PKK) take tentative steps toward an accommodation. Muslim said he expects improvements but has not seen any yet.

“The opposition has good relations with Turkey. If they were refusing to recognize the Kurdish people and deal with them, it was by effect of Turkey. Turkey was telling them to do so," Muslim said.

"If Turkey recognizes its own Kurdish people, it can’t tell others not to recognize their Kurds. Because of this I think the process going on in the north will be better for us. It will be easier to deal with the Arab opposition inside Syria.”

[Shirko]

“If they are saying Assad should go out or fall before any negotiations, it means they are not willing to negotiate. If they insist for Assad to leave before dialogue, it means Assad will stay for more than 20 years," Muslim told Rudaw. "There are sides supplying him with weapons and money, and he won’t hesitate to kill tens of thousands.

yes Assad is never going to step down, they need to negotiate with him or kill him, so what are they thinking?

The opposition has good relations with Turkey. If they were refusing to recognize the Kurdish people and deal with them, it was by effect of Turkey. Turkey was telling them to do so," Muslim said.
"If Turkey recognizes its own Kurdish people, it can’t tell others not to recognize their Kurds. Because of this I think the process going on in the north will be better for us. It will be easier to deal with the Arab opposition inside Syria.”

He is right, and the opposition needs to stop being little Turkish butt lickers and slaves, and stop taking orders from them. Turkey has competely hijacked this revolution and screwd everything up.

[Anthea]

All we ever read is a lot of conflicting information and a lot of people sharing their uninformed ideas.

All the while everyone is arguing Kurds are DYING Where are the UN peacekeeping forces?

As things are at this moment in time there is not a great deal of hope for the Kurds whoever - I was going to write whoever wins this war but there are NO winners - there is not a great deal of hope for the Kurds whoever survives.

Because the Kurdish area is rich in oil and in comparison with the rest of Syria remains greatly unscathed, the Kurdish area will be the area that will be the most sort after and most at risk of occupation when the fighting in other parts of Syria finishes.

Basicly whatever happens in Syria the Kurds are screwed (in a lot of trouble)

[Rando]

All we ever read is a lot of conflicting information and a lot of people sharing their uninformed ideas.

All the while everyone is arguing Kurds are DYING Where are the UN peacekeeping forces?

As things are at this moment in time there is not a great deal of hope for the Kurds whoever - I was going to write whoever wins this war but there are NO winners - there is not a great deal of hope for the Kurds whoever survives.

Because the Kurdish area is rich in oil and in comparison with the rest of Syria remains greatly unscathed, the Kurdish area will be the area that will be the most sort after and most at risk of occupation when the fighting in other parts of Syria finishes.

Basicly whatever happens in Syria the Kurds are screwed (in a lot of trouble)

I dont think thats the case. No matter which side wins offically,insurgency will go on for at least a decade to come. Not only that,but Syria will be in ruins. The winners can`t afford another war right after the other,espiecially not when insurgency is happening in large parts of the country.
Also,YPG is not a weak force that you can simply run over. They have close to 20 000 Active fighters (and according to sources can increase that to 75 000,which is the size of FSA),and most seem to have good traning and experiance. 3 days ago,the rebels and YPG clashed. The battle ended with one YPG casuallty and 28 on the rebel side. The next day another battle ended with 3 YPG fighters dead,and 38 rebels (including 2 tanks) dead. These numbers are staggering,and equal to the numbers american troops got against the Somali milita in 1993.
The winning side will be too exhausted to start a war against the Kurds.


Also,politiclaly,thanks to the peace in Northern Kurdistan,WK will not be as isolated as we once feared.