Kurdish leaders emphasise importance of dialogue, Kurdish unity and integration

Kurdish politician Ilham Ahmed, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) President Bafel Talabani stressed the importance of dialogue, addressing Kurdish issues and strengthening stability during their participation in panel discussions on the first day of the Middle East Research Forum (MERI 2026), which opened in Hewlêr.

Kurdish politician Ilham Ahmed said Syria was undergoing changes following the fall of the Assad regime and the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army. She described what had happened as a revolution that was still in the process of being completed, while the country was entering a phase of reconstruction.

Ahmed explained that the integration process had helped open Syrian cities to one another and reopen border crossings, contributing to the establishment of a degree of stability. However, she noted that the process was still being tested, particularly regarding the role of women, which had declined despite the achievements made.

She added that the experience of the Autonomous Administration remained present in Syrians’ minds because it had offered a model for women’s participation in public life. She also said the presidential decree recognising the existence of the Kurdish people, their culture and their language as an integral part of the Syrian people represented an achievement. However, it remained incomplete in terms of guaranteeing the right to education in the Kurdish language, amid the absence of clear and sufficient implementation mechanisms.

Ahmed linked the tensions in the country to the continued prevalence of extremist and racist attitudes among certain internal and external currents, warning of their consequences for stability in Syria.

For his part, Nechirvan Barzani said the peace process in Turkey was progressing seriously, despite moving slowly. He noted that this was natural when addressing an issue that had involved 40 years of war and denial of the other. He said the cessation of hostilities two years ago was a major gain, stressing that the process was moving in the right direction.

Regarding Rojava Kurdistan, Barzani welcomed the progress made so far, saying it had resulted from a realistic assessment of the circumstances. He explained that around 13,000 Kurdish fighters had joined the Syrian army, alongside thousands of others in the security services, noting that serious consideration was being given to teaching the Kurdish language in Syria. He also expressed satisfaction with the way the SDF leadership was dealing with the realities on the ground, urging it to avoid the mistakes previously made by the Kurdistan Region.

Regarding Rojhilat, Barzani said an opportunity might arise in the future, noting that the Kurdish issue was receiving serious attention in discussions with Iranian officials. He stressed that the issue could not be resolved through ignoring or denying it, but rather through solutions that took each country’s particular circumstances into account.

On internal affairs in the Kurdistan Region, PUK President Bafel Talabani announced that his party was ready to sit at the dialogue table and form the new government within 24 hours. He stressed that the PUK neither wanted nor was able to govern the region separately from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

Talabani said the recent agreement with the New Generation Movement was not directed against any party, but represented an opportunity to accelerate the formation of a fair government. He emphasised his party’s openness to all forms of dialogue, whether direct or mediated internationally. He also called for a unified Kurdish position in Baghdad to strengthen the region’s standing.

At the regional level, Talabani reiterated his party’s support for the peace process in Turkey, expressing optimism about improved relations with Ankara in the coming period and affirming continued support for the Kurds in Syria within the available means. He stressed the importance of Iraq maintaining openness in its foreign relations, warning of the consequences of regional crises, particularly developments related to the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasised that dialogue and internal unity were essential to overcoming this sensitive period.

A panel discussion is scheduled to take place today featuring Syrian Presidential Adviser Mazloum Abdi and moderated by Delawar Alaeddine, President of the Middle East Research Institute (MERI). The discussion will address the situation of the Kurds in the new Syria, the transition from the Autonomous Administration to integration, and the political rights of the Kurds.

Sh-S

ANHA