Syria backs out of Paris talks with Kurds, urges talks in Damascus

DAMASCUS,— Syria will not take part in Paris-based talks on incorporating the Kurdish semi-autonomous administration in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) into the state, a government representative said on Saturday, calling for all such talks to be held in Damascus.

The statement followed a conference organized on Friday by the Kurdish administration, which oversees much of the north and northeast, bringing together members of several minority communities.

It marked the first gathering of its kind since Islamist forces removed former leader Bashar al-Assad in December.

Among those attending was General Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). On March 10, Abdi signed an agreement with President Ahmed al-Sharaa to fold Kurdish civil and military structures into the Syrian system.

The meeting’s closing declaration urged the drafting of a “democratic constitution” that would create a decentralized government structure and ensure representation for all social groups.

Damascus has consistently opposed decentralization proposals.

“This conference undermined ongoing talks, and the government will not attend any session in Paris,” the unnamed official told state news agency SANA.

The official said international mediators should shift negotiations to Damascus, describing it as “the legitimate, national location for dialogue between Syrians.”

Syria, France and the United States had previously announced plans to meet in Paris “as soon as possible” to begin applying the March 10 agreement.

The Kurdish leadership’s stance has been influenced by recent unrest, including sectarian clashes in the Druze Sweida province and killings of Alawite civilians on the coast in March. Progress in discussions with Damascus has largely stalled.

The conference also included recorded addresses from Druze religious leader Hikmat al-Hijri and Alawite cleric Ghazal Ghazal.

Al-Hijri came under criticism from Damascus last month after he appealed for international protection for the Druze community and sought help from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Sweida violence.

The government “will not engage with any faction aiming to reinstate the previous regime in any form,” the official said, accusing the meeting of involving “separatist elements engaged in hostile activities” and of inviting outside interference in Syrian affairs.

The Autonomous Administration, established in 2018, operates under a democratic confederalist framework, promoting grassroots governance, secularism, gender equality and environmental priorities. It is widely noted for increasing the role of women in politics and community leadership.

(With files from AFP)