NATO and EU have erred in their policies regarding Turkey – European Association official

Kamal Sido - Middle East Advisor at the Society for Threatened Peoples International

North-Press Agency

Dr. Kamal Sido, the head of the Middle East section at the “Society for Threatened Peoples International” told North-Press that the EU countries and NATO have erred in their policies in northern Syria by condoning many Turkish violations and policies, as they asked the US Congress on the occasion of the Turkish president's visit to Washington to pressure Turkey to get out of Syria.

Dr. Sido said that since the beginning of the crisis in Syria and the Turkish attack on northeastern Syria their association has focused on the important issue of preserving the national, religious and sectarian diversity in Syria. He added: "Since the beginning of 2011, we have made it clear that it is wrong to hand over the Syrian file, especially northern Syrian to Turkey, which has special interests that don’t correspond to the European interests".

"Tukey is hostile to the Kurdish people inside and outside Syria and antagonizing the Armenian, Christian, Syriac, Chaldean and Yazidi components as a whole," he added.

He continued: "Unfortunately, what happened in the region of Afrin, and what is happening now in northeastern Syria proved our fears of Turkey’s violations against the components of the region".

Dr. Kamal Sido stressed that the geostrategic position of Turkey is important to the European Union and the NATO, and they want to keep it within the alliance, which is why they condone Turkey's policies and acts in Syria.

Regarding the efforts of the “Society for Threatened Peoples International” in the highlight of this issue, Dr. Sido said: "We have recently met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, and wrote a letter to the governments of the European Union, the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress on the occasion of Turkish President's visit to Washington DC, as we asked them to put pressure on Turkey to withdraw its military from northern Syria, and to stop supporting jihadist groups.”

Dr. Kamal Sido concluded his interview with North-Press by saying that they will intensify their efforts to support the national and religious components of Syria such as the Kurds, Syriacs, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Armenians, Christians and Yazidis, as diversity is an essential part of the Syrian history.