Discussions on the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue remain on the agenda. PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan met with his nephew Ömer Öcalan on 23 October after 41 months of absolute isolation. The PKK Leader gave the message that "The isolation continues. If the conditions are created, I have the theoretical and practical power to change this phase from the basis of conflict and violence to a legal and political ground."

 

Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan applied to go to İmralı on 26 November. The Ministry of Justice has not yet responded to the application.

 

While discussions on the developments continued, a new picture emerged in Syria. The 61 years Baath regime fell after the attack of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Turkey and the affiliated Syrian National Army (SNA) paramilitary groups also targeted northern and eastern Syrian cities.

 

PKK Executive Committee member Murat Karayılan answered questions about the developments on the agenda in a programme of Stêrk TV.

 

'THERE WILL BE NO SOLUTION WITHOUT TAKING STEPS'

 

Pointing out that the isolation in İmralı still continues, Karayılan said: "Ömer Öcalan gave some new information a few days ago in his speech in the Parliament as an MP. He stated that Leader Apo said, 'If the opportunity is created, I can play my role', that the opportunity he mentioned is not a personal opportunity, that he did not want anything for himself, that the ground must be created. This means that the state must take steps. It must take political steps and create the ground so that Leader Apo can play a role and make efforts for a solution. In other words, how will there be a solution without creating the ground? It will undoubtedly not happen."

 

'THERE IS NOTHING OTHER THAN THE CALLS OF BAHÇELI'

 

Drawing attention to the DEM Party's application, Karayılan said: "Although a lot of time has passed, there is still no answer. In other words, such an atmosphere has been created that if a delegation or DEM Party officials go to the island and have a meeting, everything will suddenly be fulfilled or a solution will develop. It is not right that such an opinion is formed or that it is formed spontaneously. Undoubtedly, the desire to go to İmralı is not wrong, but the approach as if 'if we go, the problem will be solved' is not correct. Therefore, in addition to the desire to go to İmralı, it is also necessary to ask for steps to be taken. All segments in favour of a solution should demand that the state take steps. Otherwise, the state is still continuing its old policy. There is no need to count its practices in this regard one by one; they are already known. Here, the attacks against our forces continue; the trustee policy continues; the attacks against Rojava continue. In short, the policy of hostility continues and there is no change in practice. Well, then, how will Leader Apo take new steps under these conditions? However, there is a need for the state to take steps, but nothing has happened so far. There are only the calls of Devlet Bahçeli and nothing else."

 

'THE GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE STEPS FOR A SOLUTION'

 

“It is not right to make demands from Leader Apo without taking any steps,” said Karayılan and added: "This is putting Leader Apo under pressure. Therefore, it should be approached within this framework. First of all, the AKP government must take steps for a solution. This demand needs to be emphasized."

 

DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA

 

Answering questions about the developments in Syria, Karayılan stated that the Baath regime collapsed because "it did not read the time correctly and did not heed the calls for change and transformation”. Karayılan said that the US, Israel, Britain and Turkey are taking part in the intervention against Syria, adding that the redesign of Syria is on the agenda and that each power has its own goal. 

 

Karayılan continued: “As far as we can see, there is a contradiction between the powers involved in this plan. Everyone has a different goal. For example, Turkey's goal is different; Israel and other parties have different goals. Turkey wants to design Syria in its own way. It even sees this process as a Sunni-Islamic revolution and sees it as its victory. Most recently, it was revealed in Tayyip Erdoğan's speech in Erzurum that he considers the raising of the Turkish flag in Aleppo as a success. In short, Turkey wants to organize everything according to itself.

 

In fact, in the past, the groups in Turkey calling themselves the opposition had formed an interim government. That government has existed for the last 5-6 years, with a so-called prime minister and ministers. Now they are living in Antep and Istanbul. Turkey mainly wanted this opposition government to come and sit in Damascus and come to power. This was Turkey's wish, but the powers that be did not accept this. They preferred to pave the way for HTS leader Mohammed Colani. It seems that they wanted to reorganize and redesign Syria under his leadership. Turkey has been forced to accept this. Otherwise, this is not what the AKP government wanted. AKP had prepared its supporters and wanted them to come to power, but they have no basis and no power. The real power is HTS. It is understood that the leader of HTS has certain relations. Again, it is seen that they claim to transform themselves and on this basis, their path has been paved.” 

 

'THEY WANT TO PREVENT THE KURDS FROM GAINING STATUS'

 

Karayılan said that the AKP is imposing impositions on HTS, adding that there is uncertainty as to how much the reconstruction of Syria under the leadership of HTS will be allowed or not. Pointing out that there is also the possibility of civil war, Karayılan said that Turkey's primary goal is to prevent the Kurds from gaining status. 

 

'NOT EVERYTHING WILL BE ACCORDING TO TURKEY'S WISHES'

 

Karayılan said: “Not everything will be allowed, because they did not develop this for Turkey. Yes, Turkey has a role in this, but there is also a will. How far will this will allow Turkey's wishes to be realized? Because the main axis of the plan is Israel's security. In other words, the plan is based on eliminating threats against Israel, but Turkey wants to develop a process in the opposite direction. A Sunni-Islamist plan that failed in Egypt is now trying to succeed in Syria. This will make political Islam flourish along with it. There are already signs of this. This will bring its own dangers. Therefore, there is a possibility of more struggle and war against Syria."

 

Pointing out that a new era has begun in Syria and that this means the beginning of a new era for the Middle East, Karayılan said: “Within the framework of this new era, everything is being discussed and it is aimed to design the region on this basis.” 

 

EMPHASIS ON 'COMMON STRATEGY'

 

Karayılan emphasised that if the Kurds "form a common strategy", they are likely to succeed. Karayılan said: "For this reason, I call on all those responsible for Kurdish politics in this important period, namely the presidents and co-presidents of all parties in all four parts of Kurdistan, especially the KDP, YNK, PYD, intellectuals and everyone who considers themselves responsible: In this historical period, everyone must approach responsibly. No one should insist on their previous stance. No one should make intellectual and ideological differences an obstacle to uniting on a platform. National interests, not organisational interests, should be the basis. As I mentioned, even if there is not a very regular unity, there must be a dialogue; there must be an approach".

 

'WE ARE NOT IN ROJAVA'

 

Speaking about the allegations regarding the PKK's presence in North and East Syria, Karayılan said that the government labelled all circles it "does not like" as "PKK members". Pointing out that a similar argument is also used for North and East Syria, Karayılan continued as follows: "Why? Because it mainly wants to eliminate the status there. It is uncomfortable with the power and autonomous administration there, it wants to eliminate them. That's why he doesn't say PYD/YPG when he says their names, he says PKK/PYD/YPG. This is a special war language. It uses this language to target all Kurds with an identity. Therefore, all states, parties, politicians - whether they are Kurdish or not - should not be fooled by this special war language of the Turkish state. There is no such thing. There are Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian-Syriac peoples there, they have formed their governments together with a democratic system and they want to have status. We openly declare that we, as the PKK, are not in Rojava. We have no organic and organizational ties with any organization in Rojava. Everyone knows when we left and when we returned. When ISIS attacked, we went to Kirkuk, Hewlêr, Mexmûr, Shengal and of course to Kobanê, Rojava, but we returned. Now they say 'PKK is there' based on this. No, there is no such thing."