Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve Türkiye’s longstanding "Kurdish issue," expressing support for Ankara’s ongoing “Terror-free Türkiye” initiative to disarm the terrorist group PKK. The PKK claims to fight for a so-called Kurdish cause in Türkiye.
Speaking at a forum, Barzani said he initially had doubts about the seriousness of the initiative but became convinced of Ankara’s commitment following a meeting with Erdoğan.
“Whoever resolves the Kurdish issue in Türkiye deserves the Nobel Prize, and President Erdoğan is at the forefront of that,” Barzani said.
He acknowledged criticism over the pace of the initiative but stressed that resolving longstanding issues would require time and sustained political commitment.
“The Terror-free Türkiye initiative is a serious process, but there may be complaints that it is moving slowly. I think that is natural. It cannot be resolved overnight,” Barzani said.
He added that while progress might not be as rapid as expected, the initiative was moving in the right direction.
Barzani reiterated the KRG’s support for the process, saying the regional administration was prepared to contribute to its success.
“The process benefits everyone, both us and Türkiye,” he said, arguing that a successful outcome would strengthen Türkiye’s regional standing.
Turning to developments in neighboring Syria, Barzani expressed optimism about President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s approach toward the Kurdish population, saying he believed the Syrian leader was committed to addressing longstanding grievances.
Barzani said he had not encountered anti-Kurdish attitudes during his meeting with al-Sharaa in Damascus and noted progress in efforts to integrate Kurdish forces into Syria’s security institutions.
He also highlighted steps toward expanding Kurdish-language education, describing them as significant developments following decades of restrictions under the former Assad regime.
The Syrian administration and the YPG terror group reached a new agreement Jan. 29 that provided for a cease-fire and the group’s gradual integration into state institutions.
In late August, the U.S.-backed YPG terrorist group announced that its so-called autonomous administration and all its military and civilian structures have been dissolved.
Approximately 13,000 people have joined the Syrian army, while another 17,000 have entered security institutions, although he did not specify the timeframe for those figures, according to Barzani.
He recalled that Kurds in Syria previously faced difficulties obtaining citizenship documents and said recent measures represented meaningful progress.
Barzani also described symbolic gestures during his visit to Damascus, including a Kurdish-language welcome at the airport, the display of Iraqi and KRG flags, and menus prepared in Kurdish.
He said these gestures reinforced his impression that al-Sharaa wanted to improve relations with Kurdish communities.
However, Barzani cautioned that Syria faces substantial challenges in rebuilding after years of conflict, citing widespread damage to infrastructure, social institutions and urban areas.
Reconstruction and political stabilization would require considerable time, he added.
