BERLIN
Germany is not for an independent Kurdish state, German Foreign Ministry deputy spokeswoman Sawsan Chebli said on Wednesday.
“Germany’s position has not changed. We are not for a Kurdish state. We believe that we do not need drawing new border lines in the region,” Chebli said in response to a question about the recent developments in Turkey, Iraq and Syria at a press conference.
She said that attempts to draw new borderlines would not help efforts towards bringing peace and prosperity to the region, which was already suffering from various conflicts and wars.
The remarks came as Turkey launched a comprehensive counter-terrorism operation amid escalating violence allegedly by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The German government acknowledged Turkey's right to defense against growing number of terrorist attacks, and expressed solidarity with it in the fight against terrorism. But Berlin also urged for a proportional response, and expressed hope that Ankara would not give up efforts for a political solution to end the decades-long conflict with the PKK.
- Steinmeier talks with Barzani
Chebli said that the German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, had discussed recent developments in the region with the Iraqi Kurdish leader, Masoud Barzani, the political ally of Ankara, during a telephone call on Tuesday.
“Our minister and President Barzani agreed that Turkey and PKK should return to the peace process as an escalation of the situation only helps the extremists,” she said.
Chebli also added that the German Foreign Ministry’s political director would travel to Ankara on Thursday for talks with Turkish counterparts on recent developments in the region, and Turkey’s counter-terrorism operations targeting both PKK and Daesh.
Faced with a growing number of attacks in recent weeks both by religious extremist Daesh group and the left-wing extremist PKK, Turkey begun on Friday comprehensive air raids to suspected terrorist camps in northern Iraq and northern Syria.
Security forces have detained over 1,300 suspects in raids against religious extremist Daesh and left-wing extremist organizations, including DHKP-C, and PKK.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.
