Bahçeli: “No One Can Break the Bond Between Kurds and Turks”

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Devlet Bahçeli, head of Türkiye’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), declared on Tuesday that no force can sever the historic bond between Kurds and Turks, warning that any attempts in Syria to establish federalism or partition will be treated as a grave threat to Türkiye’s national security.

Bahçeli, addressing his party on Thursday, said: “The plans of those who wish to break the unshakable ties between Turks and Kurds and to sow discord among them have failed. Efforts to provoke hostility and division have collapsed.” He stressed that Ankara does not recognize any changes to the region’s established borders.

The nationalist leader underscored that Türkiye’s fundamental objective is a “terror-free country,” which he described as both the people’s aspiration and the state’s mission. He also linked this goal to the work of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission within the Turkish Parliament, describing it as an embodiment of unity, fraternity, and democracy.

Bahçeli specifically warned that “any attempt in Syria under the name of federalism or partition represents a serious threat” and insisted that confronting such projects would be “a legitimate and sacred duty” for Türkiye.

He further highlighted the importance of adherence to the March 10 agreement between Ankara and Damascus, cautioning that any military operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could trigger a joint military response coordinated between the Turkish and Syrian governments.

Bahçeli’s remarks came as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also delivered a strong message against destabilizing efforts in Syria, stressing both Türkiye’s solidarity with its southern neighbor and its unbreakable kinship with the Kurdish people.

Speaking to journalists on his return from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China, Erdoğan said: “We want lasting prosperity and peace to be established in our neighbor Syria, and we care about its unity and togetherness. Neither we nor the Damascus administration would consent to those who want to create turmoil on Syrian soil.”

Rejecting accusations of hostility toward Kurds, Erdoğan stated: “Kurds are our brothers wherever they live. No one can separate us from each other. No one can lay an ambush for our eternal brotherhood.” He added: “Just as flesh cannot be separated from bone, so too our brotherhood cannot be separated.”

Erdoğan connected these messages to the new “Terror-free Türkiye” initiative following the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)’s decision to dissolve and disarm. He emphasized that the Commission established in the Turkish Grand National Assembly is actively shaping a path forward. “In the end, Türkiye will eliminate a 40-year-old problem and walk towards the future as one and whole,” he said.

He explained that the peace dividend would benefit both the country and the wider region: “Resources allocated to the fight against terrorism will now be spent on development, production, investment, and employment. The winner of a Türkiye without terrorism will be all of Türkiye, and the winner of a region without terrorism will be all the brotherly peoples in our region.”

Erdoğan also pointed to diplomatic openings in the South Caucasus, citing the Zengezur Corridor agreement and growing convergence between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He expressed optimism that “the South Caucasus will, God willing, achieve the peace it has longed for.”

On the domestic front, Erdoğan sharply criticized the opposition, particularly CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, while portraying the national economy in optimistic terms. He highlighted strong growth, declining unemployment, and record-level foreign reserves, insisting Türkiye was on the path to joining the ranks of high-income nations.

Both Bahçeli and Erdoğan tied their remarks to coordination with Damascus. Bahçeli stressed that Ankara and Damascus share an obligation to confront separatist or federalist projects, while Erdoğan emphasized his confidence that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s administration seeks the same outcome of preserving Syria’s unity.

“The war barons who invest in chaos will lose this time. The Syrian people, with all their components—Arab, Kurd, Turkmen, Nusayri, Sunni, Christian—will win,” Erdoğan declared, framing his government’s policy as both nationalist in scope and inclusive in tone.