Brussels, 9 october 2019 (MOREL)- The Party of European Socialists is extremely worried about the fate of the Kurdish population in Northern Syria, after President Trump’s announced decision to withdraw the US troops stationed in the region. The PES believes that this will open a power vacuum that can be exploited by Turkey to occupy and alter the population structure across the Syrian border.
PES President Sergei Stanishev said: “Although a sovereign decision, pulling the US troops from Northern Syria is highly irresponsible. Kurdish fighters have played a fundamental role against ISIS in Syria. They have protected all of us with their courageous, selfless sacrifice. They have paid a very heavy toll in human lives. We cannot abandon them to reprisals from a stronger, foreign army. We cannot abandon them to occupation”.
“We must not tolerate any attempts to redraw the map of the region, violating the very basic principles of international law, as already stated by our Kurdish associate Party - People’s Democratic Party (HDP). This would only aggravate the existing instability”.
The PES adheres to the EU’s position, voiced by High Representative Federica Mogherini in previous occasions, that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Syria. Only a credible, negotiated political solution can end this crisis. (ends)