Ankara Position on Kurds’ Participation in Syria Ceasefire ‘Racist’

The opposition by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Kurds participating in the agreement on cessation of hostilities in Syria is racist, Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party Representative to the United States Mehmet Yuksel told Sputnik.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the week, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on cessation of hostilities in Syria, which calls for a ceasefire on February 27 at midnight among the parties to the conflict, excludes designated terrorist groups like the Islamic State and the Nusra Front.

Erdogan has criticized the agreement, arguing Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union (PYD) and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) should be excluded from the ceasefire process in the same way that the Islamic State is. Ankara considers the PYD and YPG to be terrorist organizations.

Yuksel noted that Erdogan's position shows he views the Kurds as the main enemy, but has no reason to do so.

"It seems to be very apparent that his actions are racist in nature," Yuksel added.

Ankara has claimed the Syrian Kurds have links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is fighting for Kurdish independence from Turkey and is also considered a terrorist organization by Ankara.

At the same time, the PKK denies having any ties to the PYD.

The Syrian government has confirmed its readiness to halt military activities in accordance with the Russia-US agreement. Some opposition forces have been skeptical about the ceasefire, but in agreed to adhere to it.