‘Kurds should ask for rights within the nation’

Manama : Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, on the sidelines of Manama Dialogue 2016, advised the Kurds to live within Arab, Turk, Persian nation states and ask for rights from within while emphasising on the point that ‘borders are sacred’.

“The Kurds situation is very complex as they have more than three factions and have been living in very delicate geographic and political conditions and the policy of status quo and coexistence is seen as the only solution,” he said.

He said that time not right for negotiating new regional body now as the current balance of power was unbalanced and not in favour of the Arab states. 

“I have reservations and questions about a new regional security body as power in the Middle East is unbalanced. We Arabs have our disagreements - time is not right for negotiating new regional body, but we should think about it for future. We cannot be sure what path Trump will follow in the Middle East. It may take a year or more if the US President-elect wants to reverse Obama’s policies in the Middle East which are generally regarded as of US disengagement,” Aboul Gheit said. 

Concerning Israel, Aboul Gheit, said that without a comprehensive peace between Palestine there would be no real peace in the region.

 “Arabs are under threat of settlements on Arab lands by Israel, on the one hand and interference by Iran in internal affairs of other countries, on the other. An early solution to Palestine-Israeli conflict will help in bringing a long-lasting peace in the Arab world,” he affirmed.

“Israelis, think they are living in paradise compared to the rest of Middle East and why aren’t they taking the peace process seriously? Israelis think they can live with this continuous conflict for another 100 years but let me tell you even after 200 years Israelis will have to accept the fact that Palestine is a reality and the Israelis will have to give back the grabbed Arab lands,” he said.

Iran was also asked to adjust its expansionist policies, and statements claiming that is controlling the decision-making process in four Arab capitals, and extending its influence from the Arabian Gulf to the Mediterranean. 

“Dialogue with the Iranians cannot be launched unless Iran changes its hostile conduct and policies against the Arab countries,” he stated.