Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights

David L. Phillips to Gulan: Under [president Barzani’s] leadership, the KRG and Turkey have become strategic partners with shared security, commercial and political interests.

Gulan: Currently Kurdish question in Middle East has become an important card within the political equations, in which there is an overall attempt within all four countries (Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq) for resolving Kurdish question, but in different ways. In your opinion, how do you see the Kurdish question at the levels of these four countries and Middle East generally?

Phillips: Iraqi Kurdistan is a model for Kurds in the region. Its peace and prosperity are an inspiration to peoples across the Middle East. Iraqi Kurdistan’s democratic and economic development is threatening to dictatorships and pseudo-democracies.

The PKK’s announcement of a ceasefire and withdrawal of forces on March 23 represented real progress ending Turkey’s violent conflict with the PKK. However, Erdogan treated the ceasefire as a goal in and of itself rather than the first step towards a lasting peace agreement. The “democracy package,” announced on September 30, was a good step but too little too late. Proposed reforms fall short of constitutional guarantees for Kurdish identity and political and cultural rights. Kurds want devolution of power to local government. They also want regional and cultural autonomy to enhance devolution arrangements.

Syria’s Kurds are besieged on all fronts, historically victimized by Assad’s regime and under attack by Nusra, which receives support from Turkey.

Kurds in Iran are still an oppressed minority and will remain a marginalized group until there is a genuine change of regime from the mullahs to a more pluralistic and tolerant society.

Gulan: Last week we witnessed a historic event which was the official invitation for president Barzani by Prime Minister Erdogan to Diyarbakir, the biggest Kurdish city in Turkey. In your opinion, to what extent will Barzani’s visit to a big Kurdish city in Turkey help to resolve Kurdish question peacefully?

Phillips: Erdogan’s invitation is a recognition of Barzani’s constructive contribution to Turkey’s peace process. Turkey is no longer threatened by Iraqi Kurdistan’s success. Kurds in Turkey are not looking to join a “Greater Kurdistan.” They recognize that their goals will be advanced when Turkey joins the European Union.

I have long maintained that Iraq will not survive within its current frontiers. Iaqi Kurdistan will emerge as an independent entity under Turkey’s stewardship and protection. Turkey is more self-confident. It does not view Iraqi Kurdistan’s success as a threat to Turkey’s stability and sovereignty. In fact, the exat opposite is true.

Gulan: A few years ago, if someone had mentioned the name of Kurdistan, he would have been punished. But within Barzani’s visit to Diyarbakir, Prime Minister of Turkey, Erdogan, mentioned Kurdistan three times within his speech, which was unexpected event for observers. Don’t you think that this means Erdogan wants to resolve Kurdish question peacefully and to draft a new constitution for Turkey?

Phillips: Sustainable peace cannot be achieved when there is a gap between rhetoric and action. Resolving the Kurdish question peacefully will require constitutional reforms devolving power in Turkey. Autonomy will change Turkey fundamentally making it more representative and democratic. The process of devolution can start by applying the European Council’s Charter on Autonomy for Local Governments. If Turkey is not prepared for devolution across the board, it can take an asymmetrical approach starting with the devolution of powers to local governments in the Southeast.

Erdogan’s motivation should be understood. He seeks constitutional reform to establish an executive presidency, an office to which he aspires. However, Turks are increasingly skeptical of Erdogan after what happened last summer in Gezi Park and across the country. Constitutional reforms may have to wait until Turkey completes its two year electoral cycle.

Gulan: Experts think that the successful experience of self-rule in Kurdistan region of Iraq and existence of political and economic stability has been a reason for developing the attempts of resolving Kurdish question in Turkey. To what extent has Kurdistan region of Iraq been an important factor for the transition of Kurdish question in Middle East?

Phillips: Countries in the Middle East are the remnants of colonialism. They share a common problem: too much power has been concentrated in the central government. Stability in the Middle East would benefit from power-sharing that invests control of local government, local economy, local language, education and culture in the hands of local leaders. Iraq’s constitution provides a framework for Iraqi Kurdistan’s self-rule through a federal, democratic system of governance. Federalism enables Iraqi Kurdistan to function like an independent state, with a high degree of decentralization and autonomy.

Turkey is an important factor in Middle East which has impact on the regional changes in the area, and currently Turkey considers Kurdistan region as a strategic ally. According to your view; to what extent Kurdistan region and Turkey will have impact on Kurdish question in Syria, do you expect for Syrian Kurds to meet their rights also?

Syria is a failed state. Bashar al-Assad should be at the International Criminal Court not in the Presidential palace in Damascus. No matter what emerges from Syria’s grinding civil war, Syrians will require a new compact. Federal power-sharing is an alternative to highly centralized governance under Assad. More likely, Syria will disintegrate into mini-states run by militias and local warlords. In this event, Barzani has made it clear that he will not stand-by and let the Kurds be massacred by Nusra or other jihadis. Protecting Syrian Kurds is a step towards confederation, linking Kurdish territories in Syria to Iraqi Kurdistan.

Gulan: Despite the great economic development, Kurdistan region now has energy resources and it is exporting oil to outside. To what extent has having energy sources increased the attitude of Kurdistan region in all aspects?

Phillips: Business is often the bottom line. Turkish firms sold $13 billion in goods to consumers in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2012. Its construction companies signed contracts worth more than $30 billion. Energy cooperation is expanding. Turkey needs a reliable energy supply to satisfy its growing demand. Rather than rely on Russia or Iran, countries with whom Turkey is at odds over the Syrian crisis, Turkey is turning to Iraqi Kurdistan. Turkish concerns are participating in energy development blocks underway in Iraqi Kurdistan. Transportation of oil and gas from Iraqi Kurdistan to Turkey furthers links between the two strategic partners.

Gulan: President Barzani has been able to maintain political and diplomatic balance with other countries, and he has been able to change the enmity with Turkey into peace and strategic partner. To what extent can president Barzani be helpful for peace and resolving problems in the area?

Phillips: The peace process can be advanced through a change of format and a new mechanism for managing negotiations. Political dialogue would be served by expanding the set of interlocutors from both sides, as well as a system for monitoring negotiations and peace implementation by the international community. Talks would also benefit from a new venue and facilitation by a third party. Barzani can play a role. He has close contact with PKK factions. Under his leadership, the KRG and Turkey have become strategic partners with shared security, commercial and political interests.