The 'Kurdish phobia' in Astana 15 talks
February 24, 2021, 7:53 am

Zara saleh

The three Astana's self-appointed guarantors of the Syrian peace process- Turkey, Russia, and Iran- have held the 15th round of negotiations in Sochi after a long-term break since June 2020. This round, as usual, began with the participation of the UN and Red Cross representatives; Iraq, Lebanon, Kazakhistan, and Jordan as observer members. On the other hand, the US didn't attend the talks despite the Russian invitation as an indirect unsatisfaction Biden’s message to the summit.

A glance at the final statement of Astana's troika, the 'Kurdish phobia' again was in the centre of consideration and discussions with the full rejection of "illegal initiatives for self-governance" that lead by Kurds in northeast Syria. They also shared the idea and the ‘necessity’ to stand up against the "separatist plans" of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and to hinder the Kurdish ambition on the ground that has American support. Moreover, Astana's statement has clearly adopted the rhetoric that to exclude the Kurds from the political solution and peace process in Syria and considers Kurds as the " threat to the national security" for Syria and neighbouring countries.

Besides that, Astana guarantors expressed their "strong commitment" to the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria. In contrast to the mentioned above, Moscow, Ankara, and Tehran were already considered Astana talks as a tool of legitimatizing their military intervention in Syria. For example, Turkey is now occupying the northern part of Syria as a result of Astana's negotiations and the Putin-Erdogan deal in Idlib. Furthermore, Russian president Putin considers themself as the main "guarantor" of Syria's unity, he was behind Turkey's occupation of Kurdish areas of Afrin, Ras Al-Ain, and Til Abyad in northeast Syria that controlled by SDF.

At the same time, Russia and Iran are sharing Assad's areas of Syria with full military and political control, while they both "shed crocodile tears" when it comes to the unity and sovereignty of Syria. Russia is trying to confront the US strategy in Syria by blackmailing other parties involved in the Syrian conflict. Erdogan's chronic fear of "Kurdish state" or Kurdish autonomy in northeast Syria can be considered an essential aim for Turkey to intervene in the Syrian conflict. Simultaneously with that, Iran and the Syrian regime share the same common fear and interests with Erdogan towards Kurds in Syria.

Consequently, the main goals and objectives of the three Astana's guarantors on Syrian talks are that to reject any Kurdish presence or Kurdish rights in northeast Syria since the start of Astana's Meetings in September 2017. Added to that the Moscow with the other Astana counterparts - Iran and Turkey- are trying to institutionalize Astana's negotiations to be an alternative to the UN 2254 Resolution.

Zara Saleh

Zara Saleh

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”