EU voice concern over Turkish operations against Kurds

Roni Alasor - November 24/ 11, 2022 - Middle East Diplomatic - European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur for Türkiye Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, ES), Chair of the EP Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE), Kurdish Friendship Group in EP and many leading MEPs are worried about a possible escalation of violence after Türkiye launched a military operation against Kurds in Rojava/NES and and in Federal Kurdistan KRG).

The statement from EU Parliaments leading politicians underlining that “The recent military operation in Northern Syria and Iraq has caused us great concern. While we acknowledge Türkiye’s right to self-defence, we urge utmost caution as well as unambiguous respect for international law and human rights. We join European Parliament President Metsola and many others in calling on the Turkish authorities to exercise restraint in full respect of international standards. The civilian population should never be the victim of military self-defence. Use of force must always be duly justified, proportionate and within the boundaries of international law.”

EU politicians are genuinely concerned about a possible escalation of violence and the risk of increased instability both in the region and within Türkiye : “Furthermore, we are worried about the possible surge in an already highly nationalistic narrative – widely shared across the political spectrum in the country – particularly ahead of the upcoming elections, which are due next year”.

However, the statements from EU Parliament’s confusing many Kurds when EU politicians using to say “we acknowledge Turkish right to self-defence”.

Talking to MED Diplomatic, a leading Kurdish politician, lawyer, former member of the Turkish parliament and member of the Executive Council of the Kurdistan National Congress, Mr Zubeyir Aydar saying that “when EU, US or NATO using such terms, they are also legitimating Erdogan regime to continue its war and terror against Kurds. But at the same time, US, EU and NATO do not concern about Kurdish right to self-defence against islamist-terror regime”.