Residents of Syria’s Kobani upset over delay in intra-Kurdish talks
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Residents in northern Syria’s Kobani believe that the delay in the agreement between the Kurdish National Unity Parties and the Kurdish National Council in Syria (ENKS) is due to the lack of agreement on partisan quotas, without any consideration for the interest of the region and facing Turkish threats.
The talks, launched at the behest of SDF commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi last year, aim to unite the leading Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), which is a member of the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition coalition. The talks are based on the framework laid down by the two parties in the 2014 Duhok Agreement, which was signed in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to establish a new administration in Syria’s predominantly Kurdish north; the agreement was never implemented due to disputes between the two signatories.
ENKS and the Kurdish National Unity Parties announced in June that they had reached a political understanding within the initiative.
However, since its beginning of the talks, they have been accused of being deliberately obstructed by the two negotiating sides.
So far, the two blocs have reached preliminary understandings about forming a unified position for the Kurds of Syria, where each bloc will have 40% representation. The remaining 20% will be represented by independent figures and members of civil society organizations, according to the understanding.
Mustafa Darwish, who owns a bookshop in Kobani, said that the Kurdish politicians’ announcement of their talks months ago was a relief to the residents.
However, he is surprised by what he hears now about a lack of agreement due to partisan differences over the quotas, at a time when the population is looking forward to more stability.
Khalil Bouzan, the owner of a wholesale food store, said that he heard on social media about the delay in achieving the Kurdish agreement due to arguments on both sides.
“We ask them to hurry up in the agreement and take into consideration their people, because the fate of the people is related to Kurdish unity,” Bozan said.
He added that the Kurdish agreement could be politically and economically beneficial and to enhance stability in the region, and pointed out that most shop owners do not purchase large quantities of goods due to their fear of threats to the region.
“Politically, we will have one position in front of the enemies, the Syrian regime and Turkey will take the Kurds into account, and our position will be more powerful,” he added.
Ala Dein Majo, a taxi driver from Kobani, said “We want to live in peace, and move between the Afrin, Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad regions as before. If we achieve the agreement, we will be strong with our position in the face of the Syrian regime. “
“Our request from the Kurdish National Council is to hurry in achieving the agreement, in order to be together, we demand getting rid of the occupation, threats, and bombing, for our future children to live safely and happily,” Majo added.