SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region—Veteran Kurdish politician Muhammad Amin Penjwini, has launched a personal crusade to reconcile the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Penjwini who is known to be a close friend of Abdullah Ocalan, PKK’s jailed leader, believes that “Unless the KDP and PKK reach an agreement on the situation in Western Kurdistan (Rojava), a great opportunity will be missed” for Kurds in that country.
Penjweni told Rudaw that he recently met with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani to arrange a possible face-to-face meeting between the leaders of both parties.
“PKK friends had asked me to inform Barzani that they are always ready to meet the KDP leadership and Barzani had a positive response,” said Penjweni.
According to Penjwini, PKK and KDP leaders have in the past held positive talks to solve their differences; particularly on Rojava, and that the latest attempt at mediation is his personal initiative.
“My last meeting with Nechirvan Barzani came at my request and the PKK was aware of it,” Penjwini added.
Relations between the KDP and PKK have soured recently mainly over Rojava. The KDP accuses PKK’s local branch—the Democratic Union Party (PYD)—of sidelining minor Kurdish groups while the PKK says that the KDP is trying to impose its own dominance on Syrian Kurds.
However, Penjwini says that the PYD is willing to accept other groups in Rojava’s politics, in particular the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria (KDPS) that was established recently.
“The PYD has no problem with that but it has some reservations that need to be solved through negotiation,” he said. “The solution would be to have all forces under a unified leadership.”
Penjweni said that in return the KDP should recognize the autonomous cantons the PYD established in the Kurdish areas of Syria late last year.
“I think the cantons have become a reality and it is necessary to deal with them,” he added.
Penjweni said that KDPS’s demand for equal power-sharing in Rojava is not practical and that they should instead build on common interests they have with the PYD.
“A 50/50 power-sharing will not be successful, but there are common points of interest,” he explained. “They can start from there and later on work on their differences. The PYD is willing to negotiate the participation of the KDPS in the security forces.”
Penjwini believes that a KDP-PKK agreement will save the day for everyone in Rojava. He also urges the leaders of both parties to “Let Rojava Kurds decide for themselves.”
While meeting KDP leaders in Erbil, Penjweni says that he has also contacted Ocalan and asked him to use his influence and encourage the PKK and PYD to end the tensions.
“Ocalan has urged the PKK to work out their disagreements with other political parties,” said Penjweni.
