PYD will attend Syria opposition talks in Moscow
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), as a member of the Syrian opposition, has been invited to take part in Moscow talks to be held on Friday, a party official confirmed.
Sihanok Dibo, adviser to the leadership of the PYD, announced that Russia has “sent an official invitation to the party to participate in the Moscow meeting.”
In the meeting, he added, the PYD “will be heard on the future of the north of Syria, in addition to discussing preparations for the Geneva meeting to be held on February 8. We believe the effective political parties in northern Syria will be invited to the Geneva4 talks,” ANHA news reported.
Anwar Muslim, president of the Kobane canton and his deputy Khalid Barkal, together with the representative of the Western Kurdistan Representation office in Moscow, will also take part in the meeting.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will host the talks with representatives of Syria’s political opposition as part of attempts to breathe new life into beleaguered efforts to end Syria’s civil war. Armed opposition groups appear to not have been invited.
Russia, Iran, and Turkey hosted talks with Syrian opposition groups – both political and armed – and the regime earlier this week in Astana. After the two days of meetings, the organizers stated that they would coordinate to monitor a ceasefire in the country.
Neither the PYD nor the armed Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG) were invited to the Astana talks. Turkey has labelled them terrorist organizations with ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Speaking about the PYD’s invitation to Moscow, Dibo stated the PYD is “the true representative of the Kurdish people in the north, Rojava.”
He noted that the first three rounds of UN-led talks in Geneva and the Astana meetings “did not produce a result. All the previous meetings did not succeed in resolving the Syrian crisis.”
Two other party representatives, Asia Abdullah, co-leader of the PYD, and Khalis Isa, the party’s representative in France, are expected to attend the meeting in Moscow.
The next round of meetings in Geneva is scheduled for February 8.
Sihanok Dibo, adviser to the leadership of the PYD, announced that Russia has “sent an official invitation to the party to participate in the Moscow meeting.”
In the meeting, he added, the PYD “will be heard on the future of the north of Syria, in addition to discussing preparations for the Geneva meeting to be held on February 8. We believe the effective political parties in northern Syria will be invited to the Geneva4 talks,” ANHA news reported.
Anwar Muslim, president of the Kobane canton and his deputy Khalid Barkal, together with the representative of the Western Kurdistan Representation office in Moscow, will also take part in the meeting.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will host the talks with representatives of Syria’s political opposition as part of attempts to breathe new life into beleaguered efforts to end Syria’s civil war. Armed opposition groups appear to not have been invited.
Russia, Iran, and Turkey hosted talks with Syrian opposition groups – both political and armed – and the regime earlier this week in Astana. After the two days of meetings, the organizers stated that they would coordinate to monitor a ceasefire in the country.
Neither the PYD nor the armed Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG) were invited to the Astana talks. Turkey has labelled them terrorist organizations with ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Speaking about the PYD’s invitation to Moscow, Dibo stated the PYD is “the true representative of the Kurdish people in the north, Rojava.”
He noted that the first three rounds of UN-led talks in Geneva and the Astana meetings “did not produce a result. All the previous meetings did not succeed in resolving the Syrian crisis.”
Two other party representatives, Asia Abdullah, co-leader of the PYD, and Khalis Isa, the party’s representative in France, are expected to attend the meeting in Moscow.
The next round of meetings in Geneva is scheduled for February 8.