The Pardon of the Terrorist Leader... The Difference Between Two Poses...

During the first opening process in 2013, the terrorist leader in İmralı said: “The solution in Turkey is the solution in Syria, and the solution in Syria is the solution in Turkey. I hope they can implement this.”

In the second opening process, which began with the signal flare from MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli, exactly this is happening. On one hand, negotiations are being held with the terrorist leader in İmralı to make the separatist terrorist organization lay down its arms, and on the other hand, efforts are being made for the integration of the organization's Syrian branch, the YPG/PYD, into the new Damascus administration led by HTS.

Another page from the first opening process:

On November 9, 2013, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, who was one of the postmen of İmralı at that time as well, provided information about his approximately 3-hour meeting with the then-Prime Minister Erdoğan and explained the following:

“The Prime Minister continued. ‘You are asking me what I will do, let me tell you. I will do everything. There is a time for it, and I have reached an agreement with Apo on this matter. I have only one red line, and that is Syria. I will never allow a structure similar to Northern Iraq there,’ he said.”

The terrorist leader also responded angrily:

“You tell him this too: we will never assimilate the Kurds within the central Syrian state. This is our red line as well.”

COLANI-KOBANI

MHP Leader Bahçeli, by saying “Qandil and Edirne are not interlocutors,” had requested that the DEM members go to İmralı and obtain a statement from the terrorist leader that he has dissolved the PKK, in exchange for benefiting from the “right to hope.”

But as you can see, the DEM delegation is going door to door after meeting with the terrorist leader. They went to the former co-chairs, to Selahattin Demirtaş in Edirne, and to Figen Yüksekdağ in Kandıra. It appears that after the second İmralı visit, the turn will likely come to the PKK members in Europe, and even those in Qandil. Let us also recall that the terrorist leader commanded in 2013, “I must have contact not only with Qandil but also with journalists, etc.” In other words, there is not even an “s” of laying down arms yet!..

It was reported that Erdoğan, who met with some AKP deputies for breakfast last week, said in response to a question, “There is no such thing as house arrest or anything like that. The man himself does not want to leave either. Where do these come from? There is no such thing as a pardon. There is no pardon for the baby killer,” and then turned to Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç and gave the instruction, “Explain these to the public.”

The person who wrote this was Abdülkadir Selvi, an important voice of the government. It was not denied, but it was not discussed much either. Only comments were made that Erdoğan and Bahçeli contradicted each other regarding the pardon of the terrorist leader.

Let us refer to 2013 once again. While the terrorist leader was listing who Selahattin Demirtaş should meet with, he spoke as follows:

“Now they are saying let Öcalan come out, pardon, etc. First of all, I did not commit a crime that would be pardoned. Secondly; if they told me to go out this week or this month, I would prefer to stay here. Because it is not possible to go out before the conditions are met. I am a man with a political cause and that is why I am here. If I am to go out, this exit will be through political developments. But there might be some changes in location on the Island this summer. I might move to a more spacious place. It could be a larger place where I can hold meetings with my guests. Maybe construction has started here, I don't know. Then those in Qandil might be able to come and go here this summer perhaps. In fact, things like laying down arms at the very end would happen with a congress. I might need to attend the congress personally. But I am not imposing such things now. Some assistants might be needed here for the secretariat. There might be a need for a press spokesperson, advisors, etc. Perhaps things like legal advisors. This business cannot be carried out solely with lawyers or deputies. There will be more equipped health needs for doctors, tests, etc., for health conditions. I told these to the delegation. You also focus on these.”

Now let us think; while it is said that “We have the power to destroy the separatist organization down to its last militant,” could the terrorist leader in İmralı, whose door is allowed to be worn down by those hoping for help from him, have abandoned these thoughts and desires?

Especially when the leader of HTS, which is considered a terrorist organization by the UN, the US, and us, has been seated at the head of Syria, and Mazlum Kobani, the head of the PKK in Syria and Öcalan’s “spiritual son,” has become a rare commodity!..

It is so obvious that with these openings or tours, just as in the relations with Greece, “We may come suddenly one night” is being delayed, and in the meantime, the Turkish Nation is being conditioned to something!..

TALABANI BAD, BARZANI GOOD

Before coming to Mazlum Kobani, let us refresh our memories.

When Bafıl Talabani, the head of the PUK which controls the Sulaymaniyah region in northern Iraq, met with Mazlum Kobani and allocated helicopters to the terrorists, Ankara was up in arms.

Turkish airspace was closed to Sulaymaniyah flights... The then-MIT President Hakan Fidan summoned Bafıl Talabani’s brother, the Barzanis’ Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, to Ankara and warned him, “Sever your ties with terrorism. Otherwise, we will not hesitate to take further measures”... Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler also announced that they constantly warned Bafıl Talabani, saying, “Please sever your ties with terrorist organizations. It will be to your disadvantage in any case.”

Another incident occurred in 2023. When Talabani brought Mazlum Kobani together with the Americans near Sulaymaniyah Airport, Kobani’s convoy was struck by an unidentified UCAV. While Kobani escaped by a hair’s breadth, not only the US but also the Barzanis and the Iraqi administration blamed Turkey. Ankara, on the other hand, neither claimed the UCAV strike nor responded to these accusations.

What we mean is; Turkey is this serious and determined regarding Mazlum Kobani!..

So what is happening before our eyes in recent days?

We know that the US and France have been trying for years to unite the ENKS in Syria, which is under Barzani’s control, with the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, which is headed by Mazlum Kobani.

These efforts have accelerated significantly with Ankara’s new opening process. First, Barzani’s representative met with Mazlum Kobani.

Immediately afterward, Barzanistan’s Foreign Relations Officer Sefin Dizayi announced that Mazlum Kobani would visit the “Kurdistan region” within the scope of “efforts to ensure Kurdish unity in Rojava.”

That same evening, Kobani went to the city of Salahaddin and met with Masoud Barzani. Hoshyar Zebari, one of the KDP executives, announced this meeting with the following expressions:

“The meeting held today between President Masoud Barzani and the Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Northeast Syria [Mazlum Abdi] is an important achievement for strengthening Kurdish unity and position, and for a smooth political transition against the new Syrian rulers in Damascus. We thank all our allies and friends.”

In the statement titled “President Barzani received the Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces” issued by Barzani’s office regarding the meeting, the following was recorded:

“In the meeting, the current situation in Syria and recent security and political developments were discussed. Furthermore, an exchange of views was held on what kind of stance the Kurdish parties in Syria should take regarding the new developments and what kind of position could be determined by displaying a common stance among the Kurdish parties. The meeting also emphasized that the Kurdish parties in Syria should determine their own destiny through peaceful means and without any external interference, and that they should display a common stance by uniting to secure their rights and reach agreements and understandings with the new Syrian administrations.”

The terrorist leader in Syria, Mazlum Kobani, said, “We discussed the change process in Syria and agreed together that the Kurds' stance in Syria should be one, and that dialogue with Damascus should protect the rights of the Kurdish people in a peaceful manner. We also emphasized that Kurdish unity and maintaining stability in the region is everyone's duty. We will support each other.”

Considering Erdoğan’s acceptance of “Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani” on October 16, the days when the new process began with Bahçeli’s signal flare, and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on January 7;

The claim that Nechirvan Barzani “is talking to both Turkey and Rojava at the same time”;

The information from Cengiz Çandar that the terrorist leader’s request for Ahmet Türk to be in the delegation was conveyed to Masoud Barzani by Ankara, and that Türk joined the delegation upon his response of “It is not a problem for me”;

The interpretations that “Turkey could recognize the status of Rojava in exchange for the PKK dissolving itself”;

And leaving aside the reason for Biden lifting the sanctions imposed to prevent Turkey’s intervention against the PKK/YPG just before leaving office, let us just ask the following:

If Mazlum Kobani is still a terrorist leader in the eyes of Ankara, why was there no reaction to his meeting with Barzani, as there was with Bafıl Talabani?

What is the difference between the two poses? Is it that he wore terrorist attire in his meeting with Talabani and a suit in his meeting with Barzani?

At the very least, shouldn’t Bahçeli, who made the assessments in 2012 that “The Peshmerga leader Barzani organizing a meeting by bringing Syrian Kurds together and calling for unity indicates that the time bomb right next to us will explode at any moment,” “Discussing developments in northern Syria with the Peshmerga administration has reaffirmed who the primary interlocutor on this issue is,” “In the final scene of the Greater Middle East Project (BOP), it has already become clear that Kurdistan and Barzani will bow to greet the audience who are concerned about their seats,” “This is a century-old trap orchestrated and insidiously projected in the political laboratories of the West. The Turkish nation is about to be trapped in this direction,” have shown a reaction?

Müyesser YILDIZ

January 19, 2025