Journalist Altan evaluates Erdogan and Barzani's meeting, effect of war in Ukraine on Kurdistan

 With the outbreak of war between Ukraine and Russia, the Turkish state launched a series of meetings.  On March 11, the second edition of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum was held under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Turkish intelligence chief Hakan Fidan, and Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin met with  Nechirvan Barzani.

 The absence of the flag of the Government of Southern Kurdistan, as well as the names of the representatives of the occupying Turkish state who attended the meeting, indicate several things.  The people of Kurdistan described the meetings as giving in by the KDP and the Barzani family.  Many politicians also consider the meeting as an agreement on an all-out offensive on Southern Kurdistan and Rojava.

 It is noteworthy that the President of Southern Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, visited Turkey for the last time on February 2, 2022. The day before the visit (1 February), Turkish warplanes launched a large-scale air raid on Şengal, Makhmour and Rojava.

 Journalist Erdogan Altan spoke to our agency about the dimensions of the meetings between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and said that they included issues related to launching new attacks as well as economic and diplomatic issues.

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 Altan explained that this meeting has economic goals and others related to strengthening the authority of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, but the most important aspect is related to the political and military goals in the context of the attack on Rojava and Southern Kurdistan.  Regarding the economic issues that were discussed in the meetings, Altan said: "The gas agreement concluded by the Turkish state with Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan expired at the end of 2021. It was renewed only with Azerbaijan, while it was frozen with Iran and Russia. Currently, the ambitions of the occupying Turkish state, especially  Justice and Development Party, towards gas and oil fields in southern Kurdistan In the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (Green Zone), 60 percent of the gas refineries are said to be in the hands of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, while 40 percent of them located in the Zardasht region are under the control of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, where 11 refineries produce about 17 trillion cubic meters of gas annually. The Zardasht refineries also produce 13 trillion cubic meters of gas. The ambitions of the occupying Turkish state are now directed to these gas wells."

 Attempts to overcome obstacles

 Altan said that the Turkish state is making various endeavors to overcome the obstacles that prevent it from obtaining oil. He said, "Although the Turkish state concluded contracts with the Kurdistan Democratic Party more than 50 years ago on the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, as well as with oil extraction companies, but  The central government in Iraq as well as the laws of southern Kurdistan constitute an obstacle to Turkey.These recent meetings come to remove these obstacles.The Turkish state also wants to obtain the approval of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan through the KDP in order to overcome its internal crisis and control the gas pipeline.  They are also holding talks with Israel, which has established itself as a second center in Iraq, especially in southern Kurdistan.

 The occupiers seek permission to attack

 Altan adds, "As a result of the Turkish state's policy of annihilating the Kurds and eliminating Kurdish gains, they are in a state of constant readiness to launch attacks, referring to efforts to occupy new areas. Unremitting efforts are being made to obtain permission to launch a large-scale attack on both southern Kurdistan and the Roj border  Ava.The Turkish state launched an attack on Khakurk and Gari in 2019 and on Mtina, Avashin and Zab as of April 23, 2021 and which is still going on.He wanted to occupy the area within a few weeks and move towards the control of the entire Qandil.In Avashin, Mtina, and Zab, all its efforts failed due to  The resistance of the freedom fighters and the resistance of the Kurdish people. With these meetings, the Turkish state seeks permission from both Iraq and Syria, as well as at the international level, to carry out its occupational attacks. They have started from now on to prepare the ground for this by informing them.

 The policy of the occupiers is implemented through the Kurdistan Democratic Party

 Within the framework of plans to occupy new lands by the Turkish occupation, Altan touched on the role of the KDP and said: “Politically, they consider both Nechirvan Barzani and Masrour Barzani as governors of Turkish states. Looking at these meetings from a diplomatic point of view, we see that there is no knowledge of the South Kurdistan region.  The Turkish state, of course, calls the Democratic Party and the Barzani family “close friends.” Therefore, both the Democratic Party and the Barzani family are under the control of the Turkish state. Now no one is standing against the Turkish state or rejecting its orders. In this way, the Turkish state can easily implement a genocidal policy against  The Kurds in Southern Kurdistan and Rojava at the hands of the Democratic Party and the Barzani family.

 The Turkish state is most willing to benefit from the Ukrainian-Russian war

 On the ongoing war in Ukraine, Altan said that this war will undoubtedly have an impact on Kurdistan as well as on all over the world. Altan said that the Turkish state especially wants to benefit from this war against the Kurds, adding: “Kurdistan is the center of the redesign of the Middle East.  The four countries occupying Kurdistan and the international powers want to benefit from the war. The Turkish state is the most willing to benefit from the Ukrainian-Russian war. They want to achieve something by sending mercenaries and holding meetings. By this, it sends a message that 'I am on the table at this stage and after it.'

 In southern Kurdistan and Rojava, the Turkish state is trying to hit the Kurds, whether by launching attacks or by striking the existing entity.  They are making unremitting efforts to overcome their economic crisis.  In this context, Erdogan is holding talks with Biden, on the one hand he supports Ukraine, and on the other hand he is holding talks with Russia.  This indicates that there is a possibility of obtaining permission to launch an attack against Southern Kurdistan and Rojava."

 After the Russian-Ukrainian war, they will go to Turkey and Iran

 After Ukraine, Altan noted, they might go to Iran or Turkey.  But before the situation gets to this point, Altan says the Turkish state wants to make some gains.  “No party would think about the fate of society or peoples in the region, neither in governments, nor in the United States, or Russia or the countries of Europe. Zelensky's government was forcibly installed in power by NATO. It is portrayed as a victim in the media, but the way  His coming to power is not fundamentally different from the situation in the Turkish state or other countries. The foundations of Ukrainian society were built on socialism. Now the United States and Russia want to destroy this society. And they want to achieve this through war with Russia. This war is a war between organized societies and hegemonic powers.  ".

 (K)

 ANHA