See this one's really problematic: On the one hand, we shouldn't recognise Syria, it is a nonsense entity like all the others (although obviously not so much as Lebanon) and it isn't helpful to several of the nationalities living there (including Kurds and Arabs) that it exists. That being said, I wanted to highlight some stuff here which seems to not recognise Syria for Arab nationalist reasons, even as he claims to oppose Arab nationalism (not that anyone had any faith in the Ikwaan):
Zuhayr Salim: For me the flag is nothing but a symbol, and it doesn't particularly interest me.
Agreed.
But I believe that a state should only have one flag. How many flags do we need? If everyone flies his own flag next to the state flag, we'll have seventy flags, like the United Nations.
What's wrong with that? Especially since you think these flags are "nothing but a symbol" and they "[don't] particularly interest [you]"?
KurdWatch: In Syria, a Kurdish citizen's identity card states that he is a Syrian-Arab citizen, even though he is a Kurd and not an Arab. Will this also be the case in the new Syrian state?
Zuhayr Salim: A counter question: What is the status of a Turkmen living in Iraqi-Kurdistan?
KurdWatch: He is an Iraqi-Turkmen. He is not designated as a Kurd.
Zuhayr Salim: In Syria, a Kurd is also a Syrian.
KurdWatch: Yes, but not an Arab as it is written on the identity card.
Zuhayr Salim: Do only Kurds live in Iraqi-Kurdistan? Or do Arabs, Turkmen, Armenians, and Assyrians also live there? The general identity is that of the majority. With one condition: The identity of a group that defines itself as a minority must not be negated. We are not talking about minorities. Nevertheless, there are people who say that they do not belong to the majority. The identity of the majority is the identity of the state. The minorities have the right to enjoy their own rights. I don't see a contradiction here. If an Arab lives in Zakho or Erbil in Iraqi-Kurdistan, then he is called an Iraqi-Kurdistani. That just isn't a problem. Why shouldn't we grant to others that which we want for ourselves?
KurdWatch: Kurdistani isn't an ethnic term, but rather refers to the Kurdistan region. In contrast, Arab is an ethnic term and applies to members of the Arab nation. And the Kurds are definitely not Arabs.
Zuhayr Salim: To be Arab is not an expression of citizenship, but rather an expression of identity.
KurdWatch: Why don't we forgo the label »Arab« and speak only of Syrian identity?
Zuhayr Salim: No, no. To hell with Syrian [identity]! We do not recognize Syria. Who created Syria? Sykes-Picot. Is that true or not?
KurdWatch: Yes, that's true.
Zuhayr Salim: You and I do not recognize Sykes-Picot. You [Kurds] feel that you have been treated unjustly by Sykes-Picot. We also feel that we have been treated unjustly by Sykes-Picot. Syria is a temporary phenomenon, a state that exists only temporarily. Our goal is the creation of a state for the entire umma. A Kurd will be ruler in this state, for he will be supported by a people that numbers anywhere from thirty-five to forty million.
KurdWatch: Are you talking now about an independent Kurdish state?
Zuhayr Salim: No, about an Islamic state for everyone. Arabs, Kurds, Turks, Circassians, and all others will live there.
KurdWatch: Do you believe that you can find a majority in Syria that will support this?
Zuhayr Salim: We aren't forcing anyone. If the majority doesn't accept this idea, then it doesn't accept it. Your question about the Syrian identity of tomorrow will also be decided in a referendum. We are not forcing anyone into something that he doesn't want.
Riiiiiiiiight...
