Syria's Kurds in Biden-Putin Summit
June 6, 2021, 1:17 pm

Jwan Dibo

The US president will hold two separate summits during this month. One of them is with Russia’s president on 16^th June, and the other is with Turkey’s president on 14^th June. Indeed, Kurdish issue in Syria will be an essential part of the talks in these summit meetings. It can, even, be said that the Kurds in Syria are the common subject between the two distinct meetings. Syria's Kurds

For the Kurds in Syria, the US-Russia summit is more important than the US-Turkish one. There are numerous reasons behind this belief. First, the US and Russia are two great powers involved in Syria, and any potential solution for Syria’s impasse, must be approved by the two states.

Second, the possibility of reaching a common understanding between Washington and Moscow on the rights of Syria’s Kurds is much greater than between Washington and Ankara. Third, Biden-Putin summit is pre-scheduled and will be held independently, while Biden-Erdogan's meeting will be held on the sidelines of NATO summit in Brussels on 14th June.

Fourth, the Kurds no longer have any hope of a positive change in Turkey’s position on their rights. On the contrary, pessimism prevails and dominates these days, because of the open war that Erdogan's Turkey is waging against the Kurds, whether inside Turkish Kurdistan, Iraqi Kurdistan, or Syrian Kurdistan.

The US and Russia are on opposite sides in Syria. Russia has supported Bashar al-Assad’s regime, while the U.S has backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). A slew of thorny dossiers between both superpowers including political future of Syria await the two leaders. The problem was, and still is, that the Kurdish role throughout the Syrian crisis has been a subject of a sharp dispute between Washington and Moscow. Syria's Kurds

Russia has always wanted the Kurds to work for the Syrian regime, while the US has always urged them to stay away from al-Assad regime. The biggest problem was, and still is, that both countries want to use and co-opt Syria’s Kurds for free. Both countries, especially the US, has not, even, protected them against successive Turkish invasions and occupations.

It is true that the Kurdish-led SDF are backed by the US, but the US has not adequately protected them against Turkey's threat, nor has not worked to mitigate the effects of the stifling economic crisis plaguing their regions. This reflects the absence of a clear American strategy in Syria. Moreover, it shows that the future of the Kurds in Syria is not a big matter to US and is not one of its priorities.

The Kurds in Syria were and still are the weakest player in the Syrian conflict. Their enemies are much more than their friends. The US and Russia have used them more than once to blackmail Turkey. On the other hand, Russia has threatened and intimidated the Kurds more than once by encouraging Turkey against them. Turkey, in turn, has several times invaded and occupied their territories by concluding secret deals with the US and Russia together. The Syrian regime and Iran were and still are igniting unrests in the areas of the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, through their militias. In addition, political forces of the Syrian Kurds are divided and not united.

There are many direct and indirect outstanding issues between the two superpowers, including the future of the political settlement in Syria. But it seems that the Syrian issue does not occupy an important place in the context of those pending problems, and more precisely the Kurdish issue in Syria.

All countries, especially the major ones, act according to their interests only, and solving the Kurdish issue in Syria does not serve the interests of U.S. and Russia together. In other words, it is not an issue of importance to US foreign policy. In addition, the two countries can reach temporary or semi-permanent settlements for some important issues by making some bargaining at the expense of minor issues, for them, such as the rights of the Kurds in Syria.

The hopes that some or most of the Kurds have held for the administration of Democratic President, Joe Biden, seem to be illusory. The recent Turkish escalation against the Kurdistan region of Iraq under the pretext of fighting PKK fighters without any reaction from the U.S. is sufficient evidence. Note that Turkey cannot invade and occupy more of the lands of the Kurdistan region without obtaining the American green light. All U.S. did, so far, was that its ambassador to the United Nations expressed its concern about the recent Turkish escalation against the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Syria's Kurds

The rights of the Kurds in Syria were not and will not turn into a point of disagreement between Washington and Moscow. On the contrary, it may turn into a bargaining between the two sides in order to reach settlements for other outstanding issues, of course, at the expense of the Syrian Kurds. levant

by: Jwan Dibo levant

Jwan Dibo

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.