Turkey condemns Kurdish conference in EU parliament

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the annual Kurdish conference that took place in the European Parliament in Brussels on March 8th and 9th.

The 17th International Conference on the “European Union, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds” was organized by the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC).

According to the EUTCC, the aim of the EUTCC is “to contribute to the progress of Turkish membership to the EU. It does this by spreading accurate, objective information both in Turkey and Europe about the progress made by Turkey.”

The conference focused on the situation in northeast Syria and Kurds in Turkey. Politicians from northeast Syria, the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), academics and journalists attended the event.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry complained that the conference was organized by the “ringleaders and supporters of the PKK/PYD/YPG at the European Parliament.”

“This demonstrates once again the hypocrisy and insincere position of the European Parliament,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.

“Permitting this event to take place is in contradiction with the EU's international obligations.”