MUNICH, Germany,— A Syrian delegation that included Kurdish leader and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander-in-chief General Mazloum Abdi, co-head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration of Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) Elham Ahmed, and Syria’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held talks on Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, focusing on a recent agreement between Damascus and the Kurdish forces.
The meeting gathered key representatives who have been on different sides of Syria’s conflict. Images shared online showed Abdi and al-Shaibani shaking hands following the discussions.
After the meeting Abdi said the session addressed integration efforts, the status of Kurdish people and Syria’s political future.
“The talks were constructive. We covered the integration process, the issue of the Kurdish people, and Syria’s current situation and future direction. Overall, the discussion was positive,” he said.
He acknowledged that unresolved matters remain despite a ceasefire. “There is a ceasefire but there are issues, too. We are trying to solve these issues,” he said.
Abdi’s presence at the conference marked a significant moment for the leader from Syrian Kurdistan as negotiations over the country’s future continue. The talks came after months of tension and intermittent clashes that led Kurdish forces to hand over territory to advancing government troops.
Syria’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the discussions covered recent domestic and regional developments. It said the parties emphasized the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.
The ministry stated that Rubio confirmed U.S. endorsement of the recent integration arrangement with the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Abdi later described the meeting as positive in comments to local media, saying the integration process was discussed in detail.
In a post on X, he said “Today, we held a very productive meeting with Secretary Marco Rubio and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani to tackle the progress made in implementing the integration agreement.”
“We express our gratitude to the United States for its role in facilitating this agreement and supporting its implementation. We also appreciate the diplomatic efforts that enabled our delegation to participate in the Munich Security Conference as representatives of the Syrian state within its unified national framework.”
In remarks to Rudaw TV, Abdi said the discussions broadly addressed the specific conditions of the Kurdish regions, which are part of the January 29 agreement.
He said Kurdish regions should administer their own affairs in administrative, military and security areas.
He also said the rights of the Kurdish people, along with Kurdish identity and culture, must be protected in Syria’s constitution, adding that progress has been achieved.
Along with the U.S.-led coalition targeting the Islamic State group, the SDF played a leading role in defeating the group’s territorial control in Syria in 2019.
The United States has recently moved closer to Syria’s new Islamist leadership and has indicated that its partnership with Kurdish forces had largely completed its mission.
As Damascus works to reestablish control across the country, U.S. forces confirmed Thursday that they withdrew from the Al-Tanf base near the borders with Jordan and Iraq.
(With files from AFP | Agencies)
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