Syria Turkey Agree On Kurds Syrias

Juan Cole 01/07/2004

Syria, Turkey agree on Kurds

Syria’s Bashar al-Asad, in Ankara for talks with the Turkish government, has come out strongly against Kurdish autonomy from Iraq or the break-up of the country. Syria, Turkey and Iran all have Kurdish populations, and the three have been drawn together by the prospect of semi-autonomy for Iraq’s Kurds.

Bashar is probably also looking for regional allies against the hawks in Washington and Tel Aviv, and sees that this is an issue that brings him and his Iranian allies close to powerful, populous Turkey.

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page