Europe should condemn Turkey's wrongdoing, but relations must not end: German official

Nils Schmid, parliamentary spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party of Germany, sat down with Rudaw's Alla Shally to discuss Europe's stance on Turkey's current onslaught on the Kurds in northeastern Syria.

Schmid says the suspension of arms sales was the best decision EU members made in response to Turkey's offensive. Ankara should not be allowed to change the demography of northern Syria by forcing the millions of refugees it has sheltered in close to a decade of Syrian conflict to leave Turkey, he added. However, he believes that Europe should not severe its ties with Turkey, as it has been a key NATO ally.

With negotiations for a new (or amended) Syrian constitution ongoing, the rights of Syria’s Kurds need to be protected, Schmid said.

Rudaw: Europe in general - and Germany in particular - have chosen to remain silent on Turkey’s repeated violation of brokered ceasefires in northeastern Syria. Why?

From the outset, Germany and European Union together condemned the Turkey attacks. It was clear that the incursion had to be condemned. Heiko Maas was the first person who described the operation as violating international laws. The EU in general was tough.

Turkey found it strange that the EU reacted against their military operation in this tough way. A NATO member should not violate international law and enter a neighboring country in the manner they did.

In his visit to Turkey, Heiko Maas clearly stated that we expect Turkey to pull out its troops and that humanitarian organizations should be allowed to resume their work. We have warned Turkey that they should not force Syrian refugees to return to their country. We should not allow Turkey to change the demography of Syria with the help of militant groups.

You are the spokesperson of the parliamentary bloc of a major political party. What should [German] parliament have done in reaction to the Turkey’s offensive and conduct in northeastern Syria?

Heiko Maas was the first person in the EU to ask for Turkey to be sanctioned. He called for the halt of the sale of any arms Turkey uses in its battle in Syria. It was an important alert to Turkey. Suspension of arms sales to Turkey was unpleasant news to Ankara. We have many other trump cards to use against Turkey to them. In other words, we can use them against Turkey if they continue their attacks. For example, economic sanctions. We have many options to resort to.

However, at this sensitive stage, we will have to engage in talks with Turkey not sever the ties. We need Turkey as a partner for resolution of the issues, especially the Kurdish question, which needs a political solution. It is clear that the Kurdish question can never be solved militarily.

We need peaceful resolution of the Kurdish question in Iraq, Iran and Syria as well. We need a political solution for the Kurdish issue so that their democratic and cultural rights are provided.. Kurdish self-administration demands should be respected and accepted.

If we look at Northern Syria, we realize there are multiple parties involved. Is the future of the region clear to you given the agreements signed, including Turkey-Russia, Turkey-US, Kurd-Damascus agreements?

It is true. The massive interference from outsiders like Turkey, Iran, Russia and the militant groups allied with Iran have led the resolution of issues to go off track. We will have to strongly support the commencement of a political process. We are happy that efforts such as the Syrian constitutional committee meeting in Geneva are underway.

But the committee does not include any Kurds [from the People’s Protection Units (YPG)]?

True. Even so, it is important that the Constitutional Committee to review the constitution was formed, following the many meetings and efforts led by the United Nations. Only a new constitution will lay the groundwork for an election to be held on democratic bases. It is true that the YPG does not have a member in it, but representatives from other Kurdish groups are part of it.

That is why it is important for us to work with the constitutional committee, to give space for Kurdish representatives to engage in the next stages of talks. Without the involvement of Kurds, a strong and stable Syria established on the basis of a new constitution cannot be made.

What really matters at this stage is that a political approach towards the resolution of the issues should commence – instead of Assad only reaching agreements with his allies - and it is one of the main conditions for the return home of refugees. The refugees do not want to return with a dictator like Assad in power. They are afraid of him, and it is their right to be afraid of him. We have reports and evidence that people in the area are persecuted under the rule of Assad.

Do you think Kurds will be able to maintain the territory they have carved out in northern Syria?

Of course, Kurds have gained good experience of self-administration in northern Syria as well as in northern Iraq. It [self-administration] must be fixed in the constitution and through a democratic election in Syria.

Kurds have gained great experience in Turkey too, in elections on democratic foundations. In parliamentary elections, the HDP [People’s Democratic Party] has been doing very well in the past years and have a strong bloc in parliament. HDP members have been elected to the municipalities. The Turkish government is committing a major error by removing HDP MPs and mayors from office and jailing them. It is harming the democratic process and bolstering terror. The biggest mistake Turkey made was ending the peace process [between the PKK and Turkey, which broke down in 2015]. I went to Diyarbakir myself and spoke with both the HDP and AKP. They all agree on one point; a peaceful political solution of the Kurdish question. There is no trust now after all that has happened. In the end, resolution of any issue should be political; other means will exacerbate the situation.

The German government still enjoys good relations with Ankara. Why does it not use its influence to make Turkey abandon actions that Europe is unhappy with, and disagrees with?

What has really frightened us and concerned us is that Turkey has accelerated torture [of inmates], and it has become a phenomenon. We have information about many cases [of inmates] who suddenly disappeared and remain missing. This is a dangerous trend.

We have exerted mounting pressure on Turkey. The halt of arms sale is one of the sanctions we have imposed on Ankara, but we do not have to severe our ties. Turkey should of course be a NATO member and be given the chance to become an EU member as well... I think it is a mistake to distance Turkey from the West and Europe. We should have clear stances, and strong criticisms, but we should not end relations with our strong ally, Turkey.

Is Germany ready to send troops to Northern Syria?

The safe zone is an interesting question to talk about. But the stance of Turkey on one hand, and that of the Syrian regime on the other, is unfortunate for us. Turkey and Russia have reached an agreement in Sochi over northern Syria. Therefore, I think it will be impossible for Russia to allow western forces to go to northern Syria to create a safe zone after the withdrawal of the US.

Translation by Zhelwan Z. Wali

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