Kurdish delegation visits Damascus for talks with new authorities

A delegation of Syrian Kurds traveled to Damascus on Saturday to hold talks with the central government on implementing an agreement signed nearly three months ago, a Kurdish source told AFP.

The Islamist-led authorities in Damascus signed a deal on March 10 with Kurdish representatives to integrate the institutions of the Kurdish autonomous administration into the Syrian state. The Kurdish administration controls large swathes of northern and northeastern Syria, including key oil and gas fields.

However, implementation has stalled due to ongoing disagreements. The Kurdish side rejected the constitutional declaration adopted by Damascus on March 13, which grants sweeping powers to interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. They argue that the new government does not reflect Syria’s ethnic and political diversity.

Last month, Kurdish forces called for a decentralized system of governance — a proposal Damascus rejected.

“A delegation from the Autonomous Administration is on its way to Damascus to review the terms of the agreement signed between the two sides,” said a Kurdish source who is part of the delegation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The agreement acknowledges the Kurdish population as an “authentic component of the Syrian state,” guaranteeing their right to citizenship and full constitutional rights. It also emphasizes the rejection of “calls for division and hate speech.”

On May 12, Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad al-Chaibani warned that any “stalling” in the deal’s implementation could “prolong the chaos” after 14 years of civil war.

In an interview broadcast by Chams TV, based in Erbil, Mazloum Abdi — commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the armed wing of the Kurdish administration — said he was committed “to honoring what we agreed upon with Damascus.” However, he stressed the need for “a decentralized Syria where all communities live with full rights and no one is excluded,” adding that “those currently in power want a centralized Syria and are not ready for genuine inclusion.”

Maintaining Syrian unity and restoring security remain major challenges for the country’s new authorities, especially after recent massacres that targeted the Alawite community and heightened fears among other minority groups.

Une délégation kurde à Damas pour s'entretenir avec les nouvelles autorités