Syrian Government Withdraws from Next Paris Talks in Protest Against PKK/YPG Conference

Kokcha News Agency – The Syrian government has announced it will not participate in the next round of negotiations planned for Paris, in protest against a conference organized by the PKK/YPG, which operates under the name Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The government described the conference as “contrary to national unity” and a “violation of the March 10 Agreement,” according to a statement carried by the state-run news agency SANA.

A government official stated that Syria will not support “any alliance attempting to revive the defunct regime” and will not engage in new talks with the SDF. The official emphasized that the conference has undermined the ongoing negotiation process and called on the SDF to take a serious stance on the March 10 Agreement.

The official reiterated that Damascus is the “legitimate address” for negotiations and stressed that developments in northeastern Syria do not represent a national will encompassing the entire country. The official also criticized the SDF’s alliance in the region as a “fragile partnership of those harmed by the Syrian people’s victory” and condemned the hosting of separatist figures as a clear violation of the March 10 Agreement.

Referendum on State Structure:
The official firmly rejected any vision of the state’s structure being imposed by force or arms, emphasizing that such a structure can only be determined through a permanent constitution and a popular referendum involving all Syrians.

Earlier, another government official had indicated that all options, including the cancellation of the Paris talks, were on the table.

Background:
The PKK/YPG, operating under the SDF banner, recently held a conference in Hasakah province, attended by Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri from Suwayda, Alawite Supreme Council President Ghazal Gaza, and Kurdish “religious leader” Murshid Mashouq Haznevi, who supports the SDF. The conference called for a decentralized state, further escalating tensions with the Syrian government.

The Syrian government and the SDF had signed an agreement on March 10 regarding the integration of northeastern Syria into the rest of the country. The Syrian Foreign Ministry had previously announced that the next round of consultations on the “full implementation” of the March 10 Agreement would take place in Paris “as soon as possible.”