Ankara Cannot Make Washington Stand in Front of Choice

• 02.08.2016, 21:29
•  America,  Region,  World

AFP/Adem Altan

The growing role of Kurdish forces in the Middle East is becoming a cause for worsening of political crisis. Successfully preventing the participation of Kurds in the Geneva talks, Ankara puts an "ultimatum" towards Washington. "Choose, who your partner is - Turkey or terrorists of Kobani?" This is how the president of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan reacted to the visit of the special representative of the US President Barack Obama to Kobani.

Erdogan demands from the US and the European Union recognize the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its military wing People's Defense Units (YPG) as terrorist organizations, because of their belonging to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers 'Party, PKK), Today's Zaman writes.

"You accept the PKK as a terrorist organization? Then why don't you list the PYD and [People's Protection Units] YPG as terrorist organizations, too?" Erdoğan asked. It should be noted that Washington and Brussels have recognized PKK as a terrorist organization, but continue to provide military and financial support to the Syrian Kurds, who are considered one of the most effective ground forces in the fight against the IS.

“We will take this issue to all international organizations. How will we trust? Am I your partner or are the terrorists in Kobane? Hurriyet quotes Erdogan's words. Ankara argues that weapons supplied by the West to Syrian Kurds, falls into the hands of the PKK. As the Associated Press reports, the US policy considers the PKK "to be a terrorist organization," calling on PKK militants to stop violence.

Of course, this is not the first time that Turkey accuses the US for supporting the Kurds. Official Ankara has made all possible efforts to prevent the formation of independent Kurdish units in the region.

The strict nature of Erdogan's statement, in fact, is connected with the negotiations around the Syrian crisis to be held on Thursday with the participation of the United States, Russia, Turkey and other countries. After the failure of the Geneva talks, it is expected that these negotiations will decide the future of negotiation process. After all, one of the reasons for the failure of the Geneva negotiations was precisely the absence of Kurdish forces, which are also party to the conflict.

Accordingly, Erdogan’s ultimatum aims to make the United States once again exclude the Syrian Kurds from the negotiation process. At the same time, Ankara should understand that it cannot make Washington stand in front of choice. At this stage of crisis, the US  is unlikely to abandon one of its most effective leverage - Syrian Kurds.