In an exclusive interview with Rudaw, deputy head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Nechirvan Barzani, said that he is in the middle of extensive diplomatic efforts to diffuse the tensions at the borders of Iraqi Kurdistan with Iran.
Barzani said that he is “meeting with all sides” in order to facilitate the deployment of Peshmarga forces along the borders of Kurdistan with Turkey and Iran.
“We do not want trouble and war,” Barzani said. “We are now trying diplomatically and peacefully to deploy our forces at the border.”
Accompanied by a diplomatic team from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Barzani visited Tehran last week and met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian foreign minister to discuss the latest tensions that arose along the borders between Iran and Iraq’s Kurdistan region.
Barzani said that he raised the issue of the Alwand River that originates in western Iran and flows into the Khanaqin area of Kurdistan. The residents and farmers of the area complained last month that Iran had blocked the river—badly affecting their livelihood.
Barzani said that the Iranian authorities have promised to investigate the issue, “but they also said that there is shortage of water and (blocking the Alwand) was not politically motivated,”
In his interview with Rudaw, Barzani said that the main topic of his talk with the Iranian authorities was the heavy clashes that took places at the border between the Iranian forces and fighters of the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK).
“In their fight they (PJAK) never take into account the interests of the Kurdistan region and they give excuses to those countries (Iran and Turkey) to attack the territories of the Kurdistan region,” Barzani said.
Regarding PJAK and PKK armed activities along the border, Barzani said, “It is unacceptable and based on the international standards the Kurdistan region cannot tolerate it,”
Barzani said that the Kurdistan region is a government and not a group on the mountains, and therefore the KRG is responsible for the lives of its people and the international law.
Barzani also said that with its recent attacks along the Turkish border, the PKK damaged the efforts that have been launched between the Turkish government and the jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to find a political and peaceful solution for the Kurds of Turkey.
“PKK was in a position from which it could derive great benefits, but unfortunately after the June 12 elections the group has been following a wrong policy,” Barzani said.
Barzani criticized PKK’s latest confrontation with the Turkish army, saying that there is always a chance for armed struggle, but peace opportunities rarely come by. He said that the PKK couldn’t wait enough to see what Turkish Prime Minister Receb Tayyib Erdogan was going to deliver after the parliamentary elections.
“There were high level negotiations going on with Ocalan and he was considered a major player in the process,” Barzani said. “But PKK’s errors ruined the efforts of Ocalan and Turkey.”
Regarding the boycott of the Turkish parliament by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) following the elections, Barzani said it was a “strategic mistake,” that shouldn’t have been made.
However, Barzani still hoped that PM Erdogan will “meet with the BDP and the other parties because it is in the interest of Turkey and the Kurds.”
“And certainly the PKK too will have to silence its guns and work to prepare the ground for peaceful solutions,” Barzani said.
Barzani said that Erdogan will have the chance to solve the Kurdish issue. In the meantime he called Erdogan’s recent statement that there is no such thing in Turkey as the Kurdish problem, but there is “terrorism” problem, a mistake.
Regarding the statements of the spokesperson for the US embassy in Baghdad who told Rudaw in an interview that the PKK should put down its weapons unconditionally, Barzani said that disarmament can be done through a political process.
“The Turkish government should restart its democratic process and thus reach the conclusion that weapons should be laid down,” he said. “One should speak realistically. You can’t say lay down your weapons just like that.”
About the recent air strikes by the Turkish air force in the Qandil Mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, Brazani said, “America should try with Turkey to find a peaceful solution. For America and Europe it is more important if they solve the Kurdish issue than allow Turkey to send its fighter planes to attack the Kurdistan region.”
source: http://www.peyamner.com/details.aspx?l=4&id=246154
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