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For the Great Powers and Middle Eastern states, the Kurdish question is front and centre in the region’s politics. It’s also no secret that Armenians are closely following developments in Syria and in the neighbouring countries. Over the past decade, no Armenian journalist has crisscrossed the area between Jezire (Syria) and Iraqi Kurdistan as frequently as the Beirut-based independent journalist Hamo Moskofian. Keghart.com presents his most recent interviews with prominent Kurdish leaders who speak of their vision and their relations with the Armenians.— Ed.

By Hamo Moskofian, Qamishli, September 2018

Saith Muslim (Saleh Musallem) is a prominent leader of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and a founder of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria. By all accounts he is a great friend of the Armenians!

Q1- Would you please introduce yourself to our readers and discuss your relations with the Armenians?

A1- My name is Saith Muslim (Saleh Musallem). I was born in 1954 in Kobani (Ain Arab) built by Armenian survivors of the Genocide. After French colonial rule, it became a prosperous city near the Turkish border.

We grew up with our Armenian neighbors. We went together to school under the bell rings of the three Armenian churches and played with the Armenian children of our neighbors. The elders told us about the Armenian Genocide, the details of which I never forget.

For centuries, we lived together in the Ottoman Empire. The Armenians were famous in industry and trade mainly in the cities while Kurds were peasants in the villages. We were all victims of the Turkish nationalistic state established on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire while the imperial powers at the time, with their dangerous intrigues, were culprits in the genocides of the Armenians, Assyrians, Syriacs, and Pontic Greeks during and after 1915…

We respect the Armenians and consider them as our brothers in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Europe. The ethnic roots are also the same, with the joint struggle against the same enemy. Recently we lost dozens of our youth in order to liberate the Armenian Church in Tel Abiad from the damned Islamic state. Unfortunately, only twelve Armenians attended Holy Christmas Mass in the liberated church… whereas In Tabqa, where there is an Armenian church, following liberation from DAESH, masses and prayers were held in the New Year and Christmas attended by many people.

We will be happy to see our Armenian brothers and sisters return to Qamishli, Kobani and the Al-Jezire region and live together as before.

Q2– What is your strategy to resolve the problems in Syria?

A2- We believe in democratic society, self-governance, and respect of all cultures, languages, nations and religions, as are the ideals of Apo-Ocalan. We were victorious against all the forces of evil, headed by DAESH, which was backed by Turkey as it was in the Battle of Kobani! The Baathist regime in Syria does not want any change. We would like to remind that even the Armenians, the Arab tribes, and the Christians who live in the liberated areas are happy of the democtraic society we have established. It could be an example for Syria and even the Middle East.

Q3- Could you comment on your relations with the International Coalition Forces and reaction to the no-fly zone?

A-3 The International Coalition Forces, realizing our seriousness, extended assistance to us. We succeeded in liberating Membij, Raqqa, and Der El-Zor. All Jezire regions are safe today from DAESH. Collaboration with the International Coalition Forces will only be on a military level. The Turks were greatly disturbed by this co-operation. In addition to the Armenian Genocide Question, now they have another serious problem: the Kurds. Turks are ready to kiss the hands of anybody in order the Kurdish nation does not acquire its rights. As you know, for Turkey a good Kurd is a dead Kurd like a good Armenian is a dead Armenian. Anyhow, we became an important factor in Syria and every solution passes through us.

Concerning the presence of the international Coalition and the US, they came here for their strategic aims. We have ours. We have lived here together, with ancient nations, for a long time and we have the right to choose what is suitable. We are not slaves to anybody and nobody is our master.

Regarding the No Fly Zone in North Syria, the aim is to protect the International Coalition Forces from any surprises by the terrorist organizations and Turkey. The danger is still present after the occupation of Afrin and while Syria is still in turmoil. If the US is looking for friends, it will find none better than us! As you know, there was an “exchange” arrangement in the case of Afrin. Now the future of Syria will be decided in ldlib. The future is uncertain.

Q4– What do you propose to Armenians in general?

We always extended our hands to the Armenians in Syria, mostly in Aleppo. They preferred to be with the Syrian Regime. We made suggestions to the Armenian political parties in Lebanon and the Armenian State, which (perhaps because of its geographic proximity with Turkey) did not give any clear answer. We believe that