Syria’s Kurds open diplomatic mission in Germany

Seeking greater international recognition, the administration of Syria's Kurdish-controlled northern regions (Rojava) announced on Friday the inauguration of the fourth diplomatic mission in Europe by opening a foreign representative office in Germany.

BERLIN, Germany (Kurdistan24) – Seeking greater international recognition, the administration of Syria's Kurdish-controlled northern regions (Rojava) announced on Friday the inauguration of the fourth diplomatic mission in Europe by opening a foreign representative office in Germany.

The opening ceremony of Rojava diplomatic mission in Berlin was attended by Rojava foreign representative in Europe Sinam Mohammad, Kurdish politicians from Iraq and Turkey, and German parliamentarians.

Speaking to Kurdistan24, Nawaf Khalil, head of Germany-based Kurdish Center for Studies (KCS) and a spokesman for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Europe, said that the process of opening Rojava foreign office in Germany took a long time and unremitting efforts.

“The Rojava diplomatic mission has been opened in Germany in accordance with the related applicable laws and regulations that require a staff of at least seven members and an internal system in addition to the approval of the related concerned authorities such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior,” Khalil said.

“When I established the Kurdish Center for Studies (KCS) in Bochum, it required many procedures and several months, so when it comes to a diplomatic mission, surely the matter will be greater and more accurate and complicated,” he said.

[Nawaf Khalil, head of Germany-based Kurdish Center for Studies (KCS) and spokesman for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Europe, speaks to Kurdistan24, Bochum, April 22, 2016. (Photo: Kurdistan24)]

Khalil further explained that the foreign representative office does not implement the tasks of an embassy or a consulate, as the Kurdish administration in northern Syria has not gained international recognition yet.

“Syria’s Kurds are developing a federal democratic model that can be applied later on the other regions in the country,” Khalil stated.

“When the federal model is adopted and gains international recognition, then the diplomatic missions of Rojava all over the world can have official statues, such as an embassy or a consulate,” he added.

In an earlier interview with Kurdistan24, Amina Osse, Deputy Foreign Affairs Manager of Jazira Canton in Rojava, said that opening diplomatic missions for Rojava in many European countries is high on the agenda for 2016.

“The diplomatic missions aim at promoting friendly relations between the host countries and Rojava, and introducing the international community and the active powers to the unique democratic experience of Rojava,” she said.

Rojava diplomatic mission in Germany is the fifth one following the opening of the first in the city of Sulaimani in the Kurdistan Region on Aug. 15, 2015. The second one was opened in Moscow on Feb. 10, the third one in Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, on April 3, and the fourth one in Stockholm on April 17.

 

Reporting by Hisham Arafat

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

[Rojava foreign representative in Europe Sinam Mohammad inaugurates Rojava diplomatic mission in Berlin, Germany, May 6, 2016. (Photo: SMA/Yeko Ardil)]