DAARNES Negotiation Committee Co-Chair Fawza Yusuf: “We are prepared to offer just and democratic solutions, not only for North and East Syria but for all Syrians”

HASAKAH, North and East Syria — Amid intensifying political and military tensions across Syria, the Negotiation Committee of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES) confirmed that dialogue with the Syrian government is ongoing, despite profound disagreements on core issues. 

Speaking on Friday at a session held in Samarkand Hall in Hasakah — organized by Aso News Network and the Shar Organization for Development — Fawza Yusuf, Co-Chair of the Committee, underscored that decentralization and the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the national army are “fundamental and non-negotiable.” She emphasized that any future settlement with the central goverment must safeguard the rights of ethnic and religious groups, guarantee women’s rights, and establish a genuine democratic framework. 

Yusuf explained that five rounds of talks with government representatives have already been held, beginning with confidence-building measures such as the continued implementation of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh agreement and the coordination of examination committees. As discussions progressed, they turned to more sensitive questions surrounding security, military structures, and economic arrangements. 

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The most recent session included senior Syrian government officials from the Ministries of Defense, Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence. Representing DAARNES were SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi, Ilham Ahmed, Abdul Hamid al-Mehbash, and Fawza Yusuf. 

Sanharib Barsoum, Co-Chair of the Syriac Union Party (SUP), also participated, voicing strong advocacy for the Syriac (Chaldean–Assyrian–Aramean) community. Barsoum stressed that genuine national reconciliation cannot be achieved without equal participation from all of Syria’s communities. He warned that sidelining the country’s diverse populations would only perpetuate the cycles of exclusion that Syrians have endured for decades.

Barsoum, a prominent political figure among Christian communities in North and East Syria, argued that Syriac (Chaldean–Assyrian–Aramean) participation is not only symbolic but essential for ensuring balance in any future democratic system. His growing role within DAARNES reflects the administration’s effort to enshrine pluralism at the center of its vision for Syria.

For her part, Fawza Yusuf reaffirmed that DAARNES will not accept the dissolution of its institutions or unconditional surrender to Damascus. Instead, she called for a gradual, democratic model of integration, one that enshrines constitutional guarantees for ethnic, cultural, and linguistic rights. “Individual rights alone are insufficient,” she said, insisting that comprehensive constitutional protections are necessary to secure a durable political settlement. 

Yusuf also criticized the composition of Syria’s new government, arguing that it fails to reflect the country’s demographic diversity and aspirations. She described the recent constitutional declaration as “undemocratic” and accused it of marginalizing women and ethnic minorities. 

International mediation efforts remain ongoing, despite setbacks. Channels involving the United States, France, and Britain are still open, although a planned meeting in Paris has been postponed twice at Damascus’s request — first due to unrest in Suwayda and later because of the Conference of Component Unity held in Hasakah. Still, Yusuf and the Committee reaffirmed their readiness to attend any new round of talks to advance the political process. 

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The tension between DAARNES and Damascus centers on competing visions of Syria’s future. While the government continues to prioritize a traditional centralized state, DAARNES and its partners, including Barsoum, advocate for a decentralized framework that guarantees genuine participation for all communities. 

The international and regional environment adds further complexity. The influence of the United States, France, Russia, and Turkey intersects with Syria’s internal divisions, making a comprehensive settlement elusive. Nevertheless, both Fawza Yusuf and Sanharib Barsoum argue that dialogue remains the only alternative to renewed conflict. 

Yusuf concluded by affirming the Committee’s resolve: “We are prepared to offer just and democratic solutions, not only for North and East Syria but for all Syrians.”