Syrian Kurds open diplomatic missions in Europe

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – On Friday, official sources in the autonomous administration of Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) confirmed that several foreign representation offices will open in two European countries in April.

Speaking to Kurdistan24, Nawaf Khalil, a spokesman for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Europe, said, “The foreign office to open in Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, on April 3 represents members of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ).”

The Kurdish female fighters of YPJ and the Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) form the military wing of the PYD which exercises wide influence over Kurdish areas in Syria.

Khalil added that opening a diplomatic mission in the Czech Republic that represents the Kurdish women fighters is an important development in strengthening the foreign relations between the countries participating in the war on terrorism and the Kurdish units.

Additionally, PYD co-leader Salih Muslim told Paris-based television network France24 on Thursday, “The Autonomous Administration of Rojava [the self-proclaimed government of Kurdish-held northern Syria] is preparing to open a foreign representative office in Paris at the end of April.”

However, the French Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that the French government will not recognize any representative office for the Syrian Kurds in its territory.

The French ministry added that "the only legitimate interlocutor" is the Syrian opposition National Coalition, which has an ambassador in the French capital.

“French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said that there is no possibility of the recognition of any representation of Syrian Kurds in France,” France24 reported on Friday.

Reporting by Hisham Arafat

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany