Enab Baladi – Amir Huquq

The dialogue between the Kurdish fabric and the Damascus government is heading towards practical steps that may lead to understandings on joint management or determining mechanisms to ensure the rights of all components of the fabric, in a manner that fits the government’s aspirations, and this is within the framework of steps that solidify the idea of a comprehensive political solution.

The Kurdish Unity Conference held in Qamishli on April 26 acknowledged the formation of a Kurdish delegation tasked with negotiating the rights of the Kurdish people in Syria and their future.

Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stated that the formation of a unified Kurdish delegation that will negotiate with the Syrian government regarding the outputs of the Kurdish Unity Conference is part of fulfilling his agreement with the Syrian transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Abdi explained in a tweet he posted on his account on the “X” platform on June 5 that the unified Kurdish delegation confirms the constitutional affirmation of the rights of the Kurdish people in a unified Syria.

The heart of the discussion: Kurdish nationalism

These recent movements raise several questions about the nature of possible understandings between the different parties and the discussions that could reach an agreement between the Kurdish component as a whole and the Syrian government.

Nawaf Khalil, director of the Kurdish Studies Center, told Enab Baladi that the Kurdish delegation will discuss two dimensions. The first dimension concerns the general shape of the Syrian state, which lays the foundation for Syria’s future, and will include the rights of all Syrians in representation and participation in the political process and state institutions, based on competencies and regardless of religious background.

The second dimension is specific to Kurdish nationalism, considering that the Kurdish community is an original society in the Syrian state, and the government guarantees its citizenship rights and all its constitutional rights, and this is “the core of what will be discussed,” according to Khalil.

He stated that the goal is to reach outputs, the most important of which is the constitutional recognition of Kurdish nationalism and the constitutional rights of Kurds, as Kurdish parties have demanded that Syria be a democratic decentralized state.

The Kurdish delegation demands the constitutional recognition of Kurdish nationalism and the constitutional rights of Kurds, and for Syria to be a decentralized democratic state.

Nawaf Khalil, Director of the Kurdish Studies Center

Opposition regarding decentralization

Political researcher Hassan al-Nifi believes that there is a significant gap between what the Kurdish delegation proposes and what the Damascus government wants.

He explained to Enab Baladi that the Kurdish delegation insists on the issue of decentralization, and although it is somewhat ambiguous, and no one knows its limits, the indicators point towards political decentralization based on the outputs of the Qamishli Conference, which the Syrian government does not acknowledge.

Al-Nifi considered that the current negotiations do not touch the core of the matter; rather, committees are being formed to affirm that the language of dialogue is still ongoing between the SDF and the central government.

He believes that, in addition to decentralization, there is also a disagreement over the integration of SDF forces into the Syrian Ministry of Defense, as the SDF wants to maintain its military strength as a single entity and does not prefer integration as individuals within the Ministry of Defense and wishes to remain in its current position in northeastern Syria to preserve its gains, which the Syrian government rejects.

The Kurdish delegation raises the issue of decentralization, which the Damascus government does not acknowledge, and thus there remains a significant distance between them.

Hassan al-Nifi, Political researcher

Complementary delegations

Mazloum Abdi confirmed that the delegation representing northeastern Syria (Autonomous Administration delegation) and the unified Kurdish delegation represent a comprehensive path, embodying the SDF’s commitment to national dialogue as a strategic option for a future that achieves justice and equality.

Here, political researcher Hassan al-Nifi pointed out that the Autonomous Administration delegation exclusively represents the SDF, while the Kurdish delegation represents all components of the Kurdish spectrum, that is, the Kurdish parties that gathered at the Qamishli Conference.

Meanwhile, Nawaf Khalil, director of the Kurdish Studies Center, believes that the Kurdish delegation will seek to establish constitutional foundations for recognizing Kurdish nationalism and the implications thereof, within the existing agreement between the transitional president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and General Mazloum Abdi.

Kurdish circles have stated that the Autonomous Administration delegation includes Arabs, Kurds, and Assyrian Syriac members, tasked with negotiating all matters related to the Autonomous Administration, while the Kurdish delegation only includes components of the Kurdish fabric and addresses issues related to the Kurdish people.

Seriousness of Damascus and the SDF regarding the agreement

On June 1, a high-level delegation representing the Autonomous Administration visited Damascus, where it held a meeting with the committee specialized in finalizing the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

During the meeting, an agreement was reached on several important files, the most prominent of which is the formation of specialized subcommittees to follow up on the implementation of the agreement of March 10, signed between President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi.

Mahmoud Alloush, a researcher in international relations, told Enab Baladi that the meetings and dialogues are a continuation of the agreement made on March 10, signaling two important indicators: the first is the seriousness of the SDF and Damascus in implementing the integration agreement, and the second is the strong push from the countries sponsoring this agreement (Turkey and the United States) toward completing it, and by the end of the current year, significant progress should be expected in this regard.

He notes that the original agreement did not clearly define the form of integration, nor the future of the military structure of the SDF, or the future of the Autonomous Administration; it merely created a state of ambiguity, which allowed for the Autonomous Administration to propose its own visions.

Alloush predicts that major files will focus on the future of the military structure of the SDF, its integration as individuals and as a military bloc, and the future of the Autonomous Administration existing in northeastern Syria, along with addressing decentralization, resource-sharing in the region, and the matter is not limited to the relationship between the SDF and Damascus, but also includes Turkish interests in the region, as well as the future of the American presence and issues related to combating terrorism.

No details

Meanwhile, Nawaf Khalil, director of the Kurdish Studies Center, predicts that the relationship between the SDF and the Damascus government is ongoing and remains in need of coordination between the two sides, as talks between them began after the initiation of the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation.

Political researcher Hassan al-Nifi stated that the agreement of March 10 is an agreement on general principles, devoid of details, and came as a result of international pressures, especially from the United States and France, thus containing general clauses without delving into specifics.