Syrian Kurds seek to open representative office in Moscow

PanARMENIAN.Net - Western Kurdistan, a de facto autonomous region in northern Syria, may soon have an official representative office in Moscow. Ankara warned, however, that such a move will worsen relations between the two countries, Kommersant reports.

A delegation of the most influential Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) arrived in Moscow to discuss the issue of opening a representation on Tuesday, October 20. According to the Kurds, the opening of a representative office would support the coordination of efforts against the Islamic State in northern Syria.

An authorized PYD representative in Russia, Ali Muhammad Abdul Salam said the Russian side has not yet discuss with the Kurds the possibility of joining a coalition against the IS. “We support Russia’s actions in the fight against the IS, but we should also fight al-Qaeda-linked groups, including Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat al-Nusra,” Abdul Salam said.

Meanwhile, one of Kommersant’s Turkish diplomatic sources warned that the opening of the representative office would trigger harsh retaliatory measures by Ankara. The source said Turkey is against “any strengthening of cooperation between Russia and the Kurds,” Kommersant says.