Russia should reject PKK/PYD: Turkish opposition leader

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

The leader of Turkey’s opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on Tuesday urged Russia to keep its distance from the PKK/PYD terrorist group.

Speaking to his party's lawmakers, Devlet Bahceli said that the Astana, Kazakhstan peace talks presented an important opportunity for providing peace and stability in Syria.

Bahceli reiterated his party's backing for the Syrian National Dialogue Congress but stressed Turkey’s opposition to any involvement of the terrorist PKK/PYD.

Bahceli said that PKK/PYD attendance at the congress remains uncertain, adding, "Turkey is against it but Russia unfortunately is going along with it."

Bahceli told how the congress, expected to convene in Russia's coastal city of Sochi, had been postponed until February.

"If the PYD attends the congress in Sochi as either a party or interlocutor, any talk of territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty rights will lose its meaning and content," said Bahceli.

He added: "The PYD means the PKK, and the PKK means enemy, terrorism, proven traitorousness, and the dishonor which dropped bombs on innocent people."

The PYD and its military wing YPG are Syrian branches of the PKK terrorist network, which has waged war against Turkey for more than 30 years and taken thousands of lives.

Spirit of Sochi

Bahceli highlighted that Turkey is "respectful on the spirit of Sochi and the partner countries of the summit."

"The result that comes from Sochi will not only link to Syria but also Turkey and regional countries," said Bahceli.

"We especially want Russia to keep its distance from the PYD, and also to be categorically against the PKK."

The presidents of Turkey, Russia and Iran met on Nov. 22 in Sochi to discuss progress made in the Astana peace talks and changes in de-escalation zones across Syria.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani agreed to hold a Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi.

However, Erdogan warned that Turkey cannot share a platform with any terrorist organization which poses a threat to its national security.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating civil war that began in early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting and more than 10 million displaced, according to claims by the UN.

Sarraf case

Turning to the case of Turkish businessman Riza Sarraf, Bahceli called on U.S. authorities to judge him according to the American law "if he committed crimes under U.S. law."

"If he committed crimes in Turkey, Turkish territories, he can’t be held accountable in U.S. courts but by Turkish justice," said Bahceli.

"This dirty person should be extradited to Turkey, the U.S. should give the documents and information on this issue to Turkey."

Sarraf was detained last year on charges of violating sanctions against Iran.

Turkey recently launched a probe against U.S. prosecutors connected to the Sarraf case.

Istanbul prosecutors accused former U.S. Attorney for the southern district of New York Preet Bharara and Joon H. Kim, the district’s current acting attorney, of using information and documents from previous investigations in Turkey for an ongoing case in the U.S.

Bharara, who launched the probe into Sarraf, was fired on March 11 as part of a mass Trump administration housecleaning of U.S. attorneys who had served under President Barack Obama.