Foreign relations of Rojava

Rojava
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Rojava
Symbols Flag of Rojava
Constitution Libertarian socialism Libertarian municipalism Democratic Confederalism Human rights in Rojava
Government Community government Canton government Federation government
Legislature Syrian Democratic Assembly
Elections Local (2015)
Political parties Democratic Union Party (PYD) Syriac Union Party (SUP) Wheat Wave Movement (QMH) Syrian National Democratic Alliance (SNDA) Honor and Rights Convention (HRC) Yekîtiya Star (YS) Arab National Coalition (ANC) Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria (KDP-S) Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party (PDKS 1970) Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yek-Dem) Syrian Democratic Society (SDS) Democratic Modernity Party (DM) Democratic Socialist Arab Ba'ath Party (PB-ASD) Left Party of Syrian Kurds (LPSK) Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party (PDPKS) Assyrian Democratic Party (ADP) Syrian Kurds' Democratic Peace Party (PADKS) Democratic Transformation Party (DT) Kurdistan Liberal Union Party (PYLK) Kurdish Democratic Accord Party (Wifaq) Syrian Reform Movement (Islah) Êzîdî House (Êzîdî) Syriac National Council (SNC) Patriotic Initiative (PI)
Party alliances Movement for a Democratic Society (TEV-DEM) Kurdish National Alliance in Syria (HNKS) Assembly for Democracy and the Left (KDCK) Kurdish National Council (ENKS) Syria's Tomorrow Movement (TM)
Self-governing cantons Afrin Canton Kobanî Canton Jazira Canton Shahba region
Foreign relations Rojava-Syria YPG-FSA Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict Rojava conflict Kurdish nationalism Iraqi Kurdistan
Other countries Atlas

The foreign relations of Rojava refers to the external relations of the Rojava self-proclaimed autonomous region in Syria. The region, consisting of three cantons (Afrin, Kobani and Jazira), follows a political system known as democratic confederalism and was formed in early 2014, as part of the Rojava Revolution. It is currently embroiled in the Syrian Civil War, a conflict that has caused the involvement of many different countries and international organizations in the area.

The Constitution of Rojava, which defines Rojava as an integral part of Syria and not a separate country, states that "the Autonomous Regions shall not interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, and it shall safeguard its relations with neighboring states, resolving any conflicts peacefully." It also mandates, among other executive council bodies, a Body of Foreign Relations.^[1]

Foreign relations of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria

Relations with UN member states

• Albania – Albania is one of the main sources of weapons flowing to Rojava's People's Protection Units (YPG) through the US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.^[2]
• Belgium – In September 2016, the 8th conference of Rojava's leading Democratic Union Party (PYD) was held in Brussels. 500 PYD members, including its leaders, and many others (including Abdul Rahman Haji Ahmadi) attended.^[3]
• Czech Republic – The YPG opened an official representation office in Prague in April 2016.^[4][5] The relationship with the YPG on particular has been described as "amicable", and "Czech Defense Ministry and other officials are said to regularly hobnob with YPG cadres."^[2] The Czech Republic is one of the main sources of weapons flowing to the YPG through the US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.^[2] The office was shut down on December 2016.^[6]
• Finland – According to Suomen Kuvalehti magazine, Finland is planning on giving Rojava support for developing government and rebuilding infrastructure.^[7]
• France – In May 2016, the Rojava administration opened a representation office in Paris.^[8] In February 2015, President Francois Hollande met with the PYD co-leader Asya Abdullah and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) commander Nesrin Abdullah in the Elysee Palace.^[9] French Special Operations Command Forces are supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces in operations.^[10] In August 2016, a French delegation and the People’s Municipality Board in Rojava signed a contract to open a center in the Kurdish and French languages in order to bring the cultures of Rojava and France together, and the opening of a branch of the Paris 8 University in Rojava was also discussed.^[11] In May 2017, Hollande received the co-chairman of the PYD, Salih Muslim, for talks on the Syria situation.^[12]

Salih Muslim, co-chairman of the PYD, with Ulla Jelpke at Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in Berlin

• Germany – In May 2016, the Rojava administration opened a representation office in Berlin.^[13][14] In August 2016, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned Turkish attacks against the Syrian Democratic Forces and pointed out that Turkey has to join the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), "not to fight Syrian Kurds".^[15]
• Greece – The co-chairman of the PYD, Salih Muslim, has been an official guest of Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras' governing Syriza party at their congress in October 2016.^[16] In February 2016, Muslim attended the Öcalan Conference in Athens.^[17]
• Iraq – Iraqi Kurdistan – Rojava shares much culturally with Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomous region of Iraq, but has many political differences. There has been military cooperation with Iraqi Kurdistan and the United States in the conflict against ISIL, although neither gives official support for Rojava or the YPG. The Kurdistan Regional Government, which the Kurdistan Democratic Party runs, is an ally of Turkey and has co-operated to enforce a unilateral economic blockade against Rojava which has damaged and limited Rojava's economy. The "Sultanistic system" of Iraqi Kurdistan^[18] stands in stark contrast to the Democratic Confederalist system of Rojava.
• Italy – In June 2015, YPJ commander Nesrin Abdullah was invited to speak in the Italian parliament.^[19] In July 2016, the co-chairperson of the PYD, Asya Abdullah, held talks with a number of senior government officials in Rome.^[20]
• Japan – In April 2017, a delegation from the Federation of Northern Syria made a 6-day visit to Tokyo. The delegation includes Co-chairman of Constituent Council of Democratic Federation of Northern Syira Hediya Yousef, the spokeswoman of Kongreya Star Avin Siwed, head of the Kurdish National Alliance in Syria Mustafa Mashayikh, and member of Kurdish National Congress's Executive Council Rafiq Jaifar.^[21][22]
• Netherlands – In September 2016, the Rojava administration opened a representation office in The Hague.^[23]
• Norway – In November 2016, the city of Oslo in its City Hall hosted a "New World Embassy" event dedicated to Rojava, "After Belonging", bringing representatives from Rojava together with international politicians, diplomats, academics, journalists, students, artists, and more.^[24]
• Russia – In February 2016, the Rojava administration opened a representation office in Moscow amid growing ties between Russia and Rojava.^[25] Russia has lent outstanding support to Rojava in the diplomatic arena, in particular more clearly than any other country calling for its inclusion in the Geneva III peace talks on Syria, and to some degree carrying their positions into the talks, as documented in Russia's May 2016 draft for a new constitution for Syria.^[26]
• Spain – Catalonia – In July 2014 the PYD co-chair Salih Muslim was invited by the Catalan Parliament in Barcelona to explain the democratic process in Rojava. He met with the president of the Parliament, Núria de Gispert, and representatives of four major Catalan parties.^[27][28]
• Sweden – In April 2016, the Rojava administration opened a representation office in Stockholm.^[29]

Flags of Rojava and Turkey at a border crossing in northern Syria

• Turkey – Neighbouring Turkey has received PYD co-chair Salih Muslim for talks in 2013^[30] and in 2014,^[31] even entertaining the idea of opening a Rojava representation office in Ankara "if it's suitable with Ankara's policies.".^[32] Nonwithstanding, Turkey is persistently hostile, because it feels threatened by Rojava's emergence encouraging activism for autonomy among Kurds in Turkey and the Kurdish–Turkish conflict, and in this context in particular Rojava's leading Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the YPG militia being members of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) network of organisations, which also includes both political and militant assertively Kurdish organizations in Turkey itself, including the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkey's policy towards Rojava is based on an economic blockade,^[33] persistent attempts of international isolation,^[34] opposition to the cooperation of the international Anti-ISIL-coalition with Rojava militias,^[35] and support of Islamist Syrian Civil War parties hostile towards Rojava,^[36][37] in past times even including ISIL.^[38][39][40] Turkey has on several occasions also been militarily attacking Rojava territory and defence forces.^[41][42][43] The latter has resulted in some of the most clearcut instances of international solidarity with Rojava.^{[15][44][45][46]} In the perception of much of the Turkish public, the Rojava federal project as well as U.S. support for the YPG against ISIL are elements of a wider conspiracy scheme by a "mastermind" with the aim to weaken or even dismember Turkey, in order to prevent its imminent rise as a global power.^[47] Opposition leader Selahattin Demirtas has argued for Turkey and other countries to recognize Rojava and work with it as a partner.^[48][49]
• United Kingdom – In January 2015, a British Parliament committee asked the government of Prime Minister David Cameron to explain and justify its policy of not working with Rojava's military in combating ISIL.^[50] In July 2015, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office formally declared that "the UK has engaged with Saleh Muslim, co-leader of the Democratic Union Party (PYD)".^[51] Since then, United Kingdom Special Forces are supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces in operations.^[52] Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chairperson Salih Muslim was invited to speak in the British Parliament Parliament in 2015 and in 2016.^[53][54]

Rojava's People's Protection Units and Women's Protection Units cooperate with Special Operations Forces of the U.S. and other nations in the fight against ISIL

• United States – The US Department of State announced limited support for the PYD in February 2016,^[55] although it opposes the unilateral establishment of a federal region in northern Syria.^[56] In March 2016, the day after the declaration of the Democratic Federation of Rojava - Northern Syria, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter praised the Rojava YPG militia as having "proven to be excellent partners of ours on the ground in fighting ISIL. We are grateful for that, and we intend to continue to do that, recognizing the complexities of their regional role."^[57] The USA have usually supported the YPG militia in its fight against ISIL, both with air support in combat and with embedded US Special Forces. During the Northern Raqqa offensive (May 2016), US Special Operation Forces were widely reported and photographed taking part, wearing YPG and YPJ badges on their uniforms.^[58] When in June 2016 the Manbij offensive started, the Washington Post reported it under the headline of "Ignoring Turkey, U.S. backs Kurds in drive against ISIS in Syria".^[59] On 7 November 2016, when asked about the federalization of Syria, Mark C. Toner, the Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, said "We don’t want to see any kind of ad hoc federalism or federalist system arise. We don’t want to see semi-autonomous zones. The reality is, though, as territory is liberated from Daesh, you got to get some kind of governance back into these areas, but by no means are we condoning or – any kind of, as I said, ad hoc semi-autonomous areas in northern Syria".^[60] According to lieutenant general Stephen J. Townsend of the United States Army in an interview on 29 March 2017, the US does not recognize Rojava as a "Kurdish state" but instead sees it as a "multi-cultural, multi-party, multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian Syrian region being liberated from ISIS."^[61]

Relations with international organisations

• CJTF–OIR – The US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) collaborates closely and comprehensively with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).^[62][63]
• European Union – In July 2016, the European Parliament drew much political attention with a photo exhibition dedicated to Rojava.^[64][65] In September 2016, Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chairperson Salih Muslim was invited to address the European Parliament.^[66]
• United Nations – While the Rojava administration is not invited to the Geneva III peace talks on Syria,^[67] or any of the earlier talks, Russia, which calls for their inclusion, does to some degree carry their positions into the talks, as documented in Russia's May 2016 draft for a new constitution for Syria.^[26] On 6 June 2016, the PYD said that the United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura sent a detailed letter to the PYD leadership with an invitation to the next round of talks.^[68] The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) co-operates refugee camps for inbound Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Rojava, most notably the camp in Al-Hawl.^[69]

Relations with international civil society

Demonstration for solidarity with Rojava, in Vienna, 2014

The socio-political transformations of the "Rojava Revolution" have inspired much attention in international media, both in mainstream media^{[70][71][72][73]} and in dedicated progressive leftist media.^{[74][75][76][77][78]}

Among the established international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) active in Rojava are Handicap International^[79] and DanChurchAid,^[80] while many established NGOs are deterred by the aggressive Turkish embargo policy. However, there are numerous purpose-built initiatives of international support for Rojava and people in Rojava as well as a considerable amount of freelance volunteers. The international volunteers with the People's Protection Units (YPG) self-defence militia have been widely reported on,^[81][82][83] as to a lesser extent have the international volunteers with the Rojava Plan infrastructure-building initiative.^[84]

A number of international NGOs help to support huge number of refugees who have fled to Rojava from other parts of Syria or from Iraq, while trying to keep a low profile for the aforementioned reason.^[85]

Foreign relations of Rojava cantons

Seal of the Jazira Canton's Foreign Relations Board

Jazira Canton

In August 2016, the newly founded University of Rojava in Qamishli, established by the Jazira Canton Board of Education, concluded an agreement with Paris 8 University in France for cooperation.^[86]

In 2016, talks about the establishment of a French cultural centre in the town of Amuda began.^[87][88]

Kobanî Canton

In April 2015, the municipality of Rome, capital of Italy, recognised the municipality of Kobani as a sister city.^[89]

In September 2016, the Kurdish Red Crescent opened a hospital in Kobanî, their first hospital in Kobanî Canton. Many international organizations had given a helping hand as well as sending them special medical equipment, UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders in particular.^[90]

Afrin Canton

YPG spokesman Redur Xelil stated on 20 March 2017 that Russia will train Kurdish fighters under an agreement in which it will also set up a military base near Afrin. Russian troops and armored vehicles were reported to have been spotted around Afrin.^[91] Russia however denied any such deal was made, stating it had no plans to create additional military bases in Syria and adding that only a section of its reconciliation centre was located in Aleppo Governorate near Afrin for the prevention of ceasefire violations.^[92]

See also

• Rojava–Syrian government relations
• YPG-FSA relations

References