Fidan: Kurdish Language and Identity Recognition Could Have Been Resolved 13 Years Ago
Türkiye’s foreign minister says steps taken in 2013 to address Kurdish language and identity recognition were delayed by developments and violence in Iraq, Syria and Türkiye.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that the issue of recognizing the Kurdish language and identity could have been resolved 13 years ago, but developments in Iraq and Syria and continued political violence delayed the process.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Fidan said major steps had been taken regarding the Kurdish language in 2013, including the removal of provisions related to the denial of identity from the state’s judicial system.
He said, however, that continued political violence inside and outside Türkiye prevented those steps from creating full harmony with the country’s internal conditions.
Fidan said the focus on cross-border crises and their effects on Türkiye had contributed to delaying the process for 13 years.
“In fact, this problem could have been solved 13 years ago, but being preoccupied with what was happening in Syria and Iraq prevented that,” Fidan said. “We have a proverb that says: Let the work you want to accomplish be delayed, but let it be completed in the best possible way.”
Fidan also highlighted the economic consequences he associated with the peace process, saying that stability would benefit not only the Turkish economy but also the economies of Iraq and Syria.
He said the success of the peace process and the establishment of a safe region would contribute to an unprecedented revival in the economies of Türkiye, Iraq and Syria.
Fidan concluded by pointing to the history of conflict in the region, saying that for 40 years, Iraq, Syria and parts of Türkiye had been associated with wars, bloodshed and terrorism.
He stressed that a vision focused on building a safe region could restore lasting stability across the region.