Syrian Kurdish delegation visits Iranian Kurdish parties to discuss unity
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In a rare visit on Saturday, a delegation of Syrian Kurdish parties visited Iranian Kurdish ones in the Kurdistan Region to discuss their experiences in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), the developments in the Middle East, and the possibility of holding a Kurdistan National Congress.
A delegation of political parties from Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), which included four parties, visited both the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Iran (KDP-Iran) and the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI).
The KDP-Iran and PDKI are two of the main Kurdish opposition groups that have struggled for Kurdish rights in Rojhilat, also known as Iranian Kurdistan, whose leadership is now exiled in the Kurdistan Region.
There was an attempt to hold a Kurdish National Congress in Erbil in 2013 to set a roadmap for the world’s 40 million Kurds, mostly settled in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, but it was indefinitely postponed due to political differences between the Kurdish parties.
The Rojava delegation included Shahoz Hasan, the co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), Jamal Sheikh Baqi, the Head of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party, Mohamed Musa, the Head of the Syrian Kurdish Left Party, Mustafa Mashaykh, the Deputy Head of the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria, and Jihan Khalil, a member of Kongra-Star.
The delegation had earlier visited the offices of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Change Movement (Gorran) in Sulaimani.
Rojava delegation led by @shahoz9 visited Iranian Kurdish parties to discuss Kurdish unity and the possibility of holding a Kurdish National Congress last Saturday.
— Wladimir (@vvanwilgenburg) June 16, 2019
The delegation earlier met with PUK and Gorran in Suli. Unclear if they will also visit Erbil
#twitterkurds pic.twitter.com/1xjB24NLe3
Shahoz Hassan, the co-chair of the PYD, told Kurdistan 24 that the aim was to increase intra-Kurdish dialogue and ways to establish unity among the Kurdish parties in the different parts of the Greater Kurdistan.
“After our victory [in Rojava] against ISIS, and the ongoing developments in the region, there will be [an] impact on all four parts of Kurdistan; thus, we consider the importance of meeting Kurdish circles to exchange our opinions and ideas,” he said.
KDP-Iran General Secretary Mustafa Mawluditold Kurdistan 24 that the parties discussed the recent situation in Syria.
“They spoke of the progress made to the Kurdish question in Syria, and that was something new for us. Of course, we also talked about our experiences and our understandings of the political situation.”
The delegation also met with the PDKI, led by the party’s General Secretary, Mustafa Hijri.
“It was a pleasure to have an opportunity to converse on the Kurdish cause in all four parts of Kurdistan,” PDKI office head Hesen Şerefî told Kurdistan 24.
“The specialties of the Kurdish question in any of the Kurdish parts, and the challenges to the Kurds to reach their goals were discussed,” he added.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany