A senior US Government official sounded confrontation to Kurdish self-direction in northern Syria, telling on Monday that Syria had better stay united. “We do not ascertain for the future of Syria an self-directed Kurdish area or territory. We would like to see a Syria that remains combined,” Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon told in İstanbul.“We have been clear both with the Kurds of Syria and our counterparts in Turkey that we do not affirm any apparent motion towards self-direction or segregation, which we believe would tend steadily upward. We’re very clear about that.” Gordon, even so, also underlined that the Syrian confrontation needs to be comprehensive and give a voice to all groups in Syria, including the Kurds.
Over the past 2 weeks, in the aftermath of the killing of the defense minister and 2 other senior officials of the Syrian administration in a major assault in Damascus on July 18, the Assad regime has drawn from major Kurdish cities, allowing Syrian Kurdish groups associated with Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Syria to acquire control of those cities.
The rising Kurdish rule has aroused worries in Turkey, which has consecrated not to tolerate “terrorist formations” on its borderline with Syria. In very harsh remarks, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed last week that an intercession in Syria is an “unquestioned right” if terrorists in the troubled southern neighbor pose a threat to Turkey.
Gordon told the US and Turkey have very similar attitudes on the Syrian crisis and act collectively very closely. Replying to questions on the downing of a Turkish jet by Syria in June over the Mediterranean, the conditions of which still stay unclear, Gordon told the US stands by its NATO friend Turkey in solidarity, although “we’re likely never going to have 100 percent data about precisely what came about in a situation like this.”
“What we understand to be the case is that without warning Syria downed the Turkish plane. That is what we’re pretty clear about. That would be one more model of the regime’s disregard for human rights,” he told a group of journalists.
Concerning the Iranian nuclear issue, Gordon rejected to make a comment on reports that the US and Israel are collectively are being after a preventative strike on the Islamic republic owing to its controversial atomic program.
“It [the nuclear issue] should be dissolved with diplomacy. We believe that it’s essential to keep financial and diplomatic pressure on the Iranian regime till it meets its responsibilities on the international community,” Gordon maintained. Gordon also appreciated Turkish attempts towards a resolution of the nuclear issue, in support of the international sanctions.
The USA official also encouraged Turkish plans for the reopening of a former Greek Orthodox seminary on an island off the coast of İstanbul, which has been described as a critical issue by the Orthodox patriarchate in İstanbul for the endurance of Greek Orthodox clergy.
“The US attitude was logical for quite some time. … We actually encourage and want to see the reopening of Halki [the seminary],” Gordon told during the press briefing.
The European Union and the USA have frequently criticised Turkey for not reopening the Halki Greek Orthodox Seminary and for failing to take measures to protect the patriarchate’s property rights.
During his visit, Gordon is due to talk about a number of issues with Turkish officials, focusing on Syria and Iran. He also visited the Halki Seminary on Monday, the only school at which Turkey’s Greek Orthodox minority educated its clergymen before it was closed in 1971. He is also due to attend a public iftar (fast-breaking dinner).
