Syrian government and Democratic Autonomous Administration to meet in Paris soon under international auspices

PARIS — Spokesperson for the negotiating delegation of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Region North and East Syria (DAARNES) to the Syrian government Yasser Suleiman stated that the two sides will meet soon in Paris under international sponsorship. This announcement follows a joint statement issued on 25 July by Syrian, French, and American authorities, agreeing to hold a round of consultations between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Paris as soon as possible to fully implement the 10 March agreement and discussing the mechanism for integrating the SDF into the Syrian Ministry of Defense. 

Suleiman told North Press that the Paris meeting will be internationally sponsored, including by France and the US, with Britain potentially participating as well. He added that the previous meeting’s postponement was at the request of the Syrian side due to the situation in Suwayda. He noted that residents of North and East Syria demand the continued presence of the SDF in the region while also calling for international guarantees. 

He dismissed portrayals of the talks circulating in the media as a “surrender,” clarifying that discussions revolve around “integration mechanisms” rather than unilateral concessions or surrender. The pivotal meeting is expected to take place soon in Paris, with key international stakeholders in attendance. 

SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi confirmed to Al-Hadath that he will attend the Paris meeting. He stated that the SDF will be part of the Syrian Ministry of Defense, but that the integration of 100,000 fighters into the Syrian Ministry of Defense is a major operation. 

However, Abdi made no concessions regarding the political model of the DAARNES, stating, “We believe that decentralization is the optimal solution for building a state, while some sovereign institutions must remain centralized.” He revealed that the DAARNES has officially requested the central government in Daramsuq (Damascus) to reopen government institutions that have been closed in the cities and regions of DAARNES since the fall of the Baath regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The upcoming Paris meeting is seen as a real test of the Syrian government’s sincerity in reaching a consensus formula that would end the tension between DAARNES and the central government. It also comes at a time of increasing international pressure to relaunch a comprehensive Syrian political process, in light of ongoing threats to stability and growing regional and international interventions on the ground. 

It is worth noting that the 10 March agreement, which was negotiated with Western support, stipulates gradual steps to rearrange the relationship between the center and the autonomous regions, and includes the files of security, the constitution, decentralization, and political representation, but its implementation has been repeatedly hampered by disagreements over executive details, and differing visions about the future of autonomy. 

With expectations mounting around the Paris meeting, attention is now focused on the extent of the central government’s willingness to make actual concessions, and on the ability of the sponsoring parties — especially Paris and Washington — to play the role of the real guarantor of any agreement that may be concluded in the coming weeks.