ANKARA: Turkey’s objections to Russia’s decision to invite Syria’s main Kurdish political party to the proposed peace-talk congress scheduled for Nov. 18 in Sochi has led to the congress’ postponement. Russia has also reportedly ceded to Turkey’s demands that the Kurdish-led Democratic Union Party (PYD), and its armed affiliate, People’s Protection Units (YPG), take no part in the congress.
Turkey sees the PYD as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which it views as a terrorist organization for its decades-long insurgency in Turkey and Iraq.
Turkey’s presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin announced on Sunday in an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV that Turkey may send an observer to the talks as well.
“It’s not certain yet. But what Russia has informed us is that the meeting has been postponed and the PYD will not be invited,” he said.
Russia, Turkey and Iran are the three guarantor countries of the Russian-led Syria peace talks which have been running in tandem with UN-led peace talks in Geneva.
Oytun Orhan, an expert on Syria at Ankara-based think tank ORSAM, believes Iran and Syria may also have voiced concerns about the PYD taking part in the congress.
“As the fight with Daesh in Syria is approaching an end, the visions of Russia and regional countries over Syria’s future are diverging from each other,” Orhan told Arab News.
“Russia supports federalism in Syria, and claims the PYD should be included in the political settlement process. However, federalism is a red line for the three regional countries, and that might have pushed Russia to delay the congress,” he added. “The joint position of Turkey, Iran and Syria on the PYD and federalism might oblige Russia to shift closer to their stances.”
In October, Turkey launched a military operation in Syria’s Idlib province, which is largely controlled by HTS, a former Al-Qaeda affiliate. Turkish military set up observation points in Idlib under the Astana deal, brokered with Russia and Iran.
Turkey is desperate to ensure that its border with Syria — which runs from Afrin, next to Idlib, to the Mediterranean — is free from threats. Afrin is currently under the control of Kurdish YPG forces. And Russia currently has observer forces deployed in Afrin to ensure security.
Orhan says this situation could also be the cause of tension between Turkey and Russia.
“Turkey expects Russia to lift its protection over the YPG in Afrin, while Russia doesn’t wish to withdraw its support of Syrian Kurdish militias until Idlib is completely free of radical elements,” he said.
Russia, though, needs Turkish support on the ground to stabilize the situation in Idlib province, where the threat of attacks by militant groups still exists.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Russia on Nov. 13, and is expected to meet his counterpart Vladimir Putin.
“Before this meeting, both parties can take steps to strengthen their bargaining power,” Orhan said. “However, as their mutual needs continue, they will have to abstain from taking steps that would end their cooperation.”
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Turkish pressure sees Russia rescind PYD’s invitation to Syria talks
Turkish pressure sees Russia rescind PYD’s invitation to Syria talks
Trump demands role in choosing next Iran leader, Khamenei's son ‘unacceptable’
- US president tells Axios US would likely return to war within five years without a favorable leader in Iran
- Draws parallel with Venezuela where interim president Delcy Rodriguez has cooperated under threat of violence
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday insisted he should have a role in picking Iran’s next supreme leader after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose son he said he found unacceptable.
“Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy,” Trump told Axios in an interview, drawing a comparison to Venezuela, where interim president Delcy Rodriguez has cooperated with him under threat of violence after the United States ousted her boss, Nicolas Maduro.
Trump told the news outlet that the United States would likely return to war within five years without a favorable leader in Iran.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump was quoted saying by the news outlet.
It was unclear in what way Trump would be able to take a role in the Islamic republic’s selection of a new supreme leader, a decision made by an assembly of senior Shiite Muslim clerics mostly staunchly opposed to the United States. Trump was raised a Presbyterian.
But his remarks imply a willingness to work with someone from within the Islamic republic rather than seek to topple the government, which has been a sworn enemy of the United States since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western shah.
The late shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi, has proposed that he return as a transitional figure before Iran drafts a new constitution as a secular democracy. Pahlavi earlier Thursday said that any new supreme leader within the Islamic republic would be illegitimate.
Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran since 1989 with hard-line policies that included repression at home and confrontation with neighboring countries, was killed Saturday in an Israeli strike as Israel and the United States opened war.
His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is considered one of the contenders to succeed his father, who was only the second supreme leader after revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
In Venezuela, Trump ordered a deadly January 3 attack in which US forces snatched Maduro, a longtime US nemesis.
Rather than backing the opposition long championed by the United States, Trump has said he has been pleased by Rodriguez, who was Maduro’s vice president but has cooperated on key US demands, notably on benefiting oil companies.
She is doing so under Trump’s threat of violence if she does not do what he wants, particularly on access to natural resources.
“Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy,” Trump told Axios in an interview, drawing a comparison to Venezuela, where interim president Delcy Rodriguez has cooperated with him under threat of violence after the United States ousted her boss, Nicolas Maduro.
Trump told the news outlet that the United States would likely return to war within five years without a favorable leader in Iran.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump was quoted saying by the news outlet.
It was unclear in what way Trump would be able to take a role in the Islamic republic’s selection of a new supreme leader, a decision made by an assembly of senior Shiite Muslim clerics mostly staunchly opposed to the United States. Trump was raised a Presbyterian.
But his remarks imply a willingness to work with someone from within the Islamic republic rather than seek to topple the government, which has been a sworn enemy of the United States since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western shah.
The late shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi, has proposed that he return as a transitional figure before Iran drafts a new constitution as a secular democracy. Pahlavi earlier Thursday said that any new supreme leader within the Islamic republic would be illegitimate.
Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran since 1989 with hard-line policies that included repression at home and confrontation with neighboring countries, was killed Saturday in an Israeli strike as Israel and the United States opened war.
His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is considered one of the contenders to succeed his father, who was only the second supreme leader after revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
In Venezuela, Trump ordered a deadly January 3 attack in which US forces snatched Maduro, a longtime US nemesis.
Rather than backing the opposition long championed by the United States, Trump has said he has been pleased by Rodriguez, who was Maduro’s vice president but has cooperated on key US demands, notably on benefiting oil companies.
She is doing so under Trump’s threat of violence if she does not do what he wants, particularly on access to natural resources.
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