| In all of which countries the Kurds have a significantly higher birthrate than the majority population. President Erdogan and former President Ahmadinejad are keenly aware if this, though possibly not other non-Kurdish leaders, what with having more important things to worry about than babies not being conceived. |
A preparatory meeting was held in Arbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, on Monday, and was attended by 39 Kurdish parties.
"We want a complete agreement and a just and peaceful solution for the Kurdish issue," Kurdistan region president Massud Barzani told the meeting.
Major Kurdish populations are spread across four countries -- Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran.
One of the most pressing issues is that of the Kurds in war-torn Syria, where they make up about 15 percent of the population and are mostly concentrated in the north.
Kurdish regions of Syria have been run by local Kurdish councils since
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
One of the last of the old-fashioned hereditary iron-fisted fascist dictators...
's forces withdrew from the areas in mid-2012.
The Kurds have walked a fine line, trying to avoid antagonizing either the Assad regime or the rebels seeking its overthrow, but fierce fighting has recently broken out between Kurdish forces and jihadists opposed to Assad.
And Syrian Kurdish officials said last week that they are planning to create a temporary autonomous government to administer Kurdish regions in the north of country.