Rojava, KRG officials meet in Stockholm to seek better relations

Karwan Faidhi Dri

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A top delegation from the Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Tuesday visited the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) representation in Stockholm in a rare meeting between the administrations, with a Rojava official telling Rudaw English on Wednesday that both sides are seeking better relations. 

Elham Ahmad, President of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) has been leading a Rojava delegation in Europe in recent days, meeting with top officials, including Swedish foreign minister Anne Linde.

While in Stockholm, the delegation visited the KRG representation on Tuesday. The SDC is the political wing of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and has had rocky relations with the KRG in recent years over disagreements in the region.

The meeting between officials discussed “the situation in Sweden and our activities in Sweden,” Shiyar Ali, representative of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES), or Rojava administration, told Rudaw English in Stockholm on Wednesday. They also talked about the recent meetings of the Syrian opposition in Sweden, he added. 

Kurdistan Region and Rojava have mostly had thorny relations since the establishment of the latter, especially since last year when fighting took place between the Region’s Peshmerga forces and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which reportedly has a link with Rojava administration. 

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which rules the Region, supports Rojava’s main opposition umbrella group, Kurdish National Council (ENKS). 

“In Sweden, we are very active. The representation offices of northeast Syria [Rojava] and Southern Kurdistan do not have any issues and we always discuss joint work for the interests of our people,” Ali told Rudaw English, referring to the Kurdistan Region. “We advise and listen to each other. When we receive guests they become the guests of the Kurdistan representation as well, eating a meal together.”

He hoped for similar relations between Rojava and KRG representation offices in other Western countries, adding that both administrations should cooperate at home as well. “Every Kurd will be proud of this.”

“We have a plan to send a delegation [from Rojava and KRG representations] to Southern Kurdistan and then to northeast Syria (Rojava) …  We hope we can use these relations in the interest of our people,” he said.

 

Shorsh Kadir, representative of the KRG to Stockholm, told Rudaw English on Wednesday that his meeting with Ahmad came after she and her delegation attended an event of Syrian opposition groups in Sweden.

Kadir said both sides had a “friendly and warm” meeting, discussing Ahmad’s visit to the country as well as “the relations with the Nordic countries, latest developments in the region, and the importance of including all Kurdish groups and minorities in any future conferences on Syria.”

The KRG representation office in Stockholm has hosted Kurds from all four parts of Greater Kurdistan - Kurdish areas in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran - in the past, said Kadir, adding that his office is “fulfilling an aspect of its mission when trying to build bridges between all Kurds and create conditions for dialogue.”