The Syrian government responded to the “Unity of Position for the Components of Northeastern Syria” conference by suspending planned negotiations with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that were to be held in Paris.
A senior Syrian government source stated on Saturday, August 9, that the conference organized by the SDF in al-Hasakah “undermines the negotiation efforts” between the SDF and the Syrian government.
According to the statement, Damascus will not participate in any Paris meetings and will not negotiate with any party “seeking to revive the former regime under any name or cover.”
Citing the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the source called on the SDF to commit to implementing the March 10 agreement, and urged international mediators to relocate all negotiations to Damascus as “the legitimate and national venue for dialogue among Syrians.”
The government source described the conference as a violation of commitments Damascus had already begun implementing, including the formation of the Transitional Justice Commission, the launch of its work, and the national dialogue process initiated in February, which is ongoing “to steer the country to safety.”
The statement accused the conference of evading ceasefire obligations, delaying the integration of institutions, and serving as a cover for “systematic demographic change” against Syrian Arabs—allegedly carried out by “extreme Kurdish factions” taking orders from Qandil.
It further likened the conference to pre-independence gatherings that sought to partition Syria, asserting that “the Syrian people, who thwarted those schemes and established the state of independence, will once again defeat such projects and move confidently toward building the Second Republic.”
The government described the event in northeastern Syria as a “fragile alliance” of parties “harmed by the Syrian people’s victory and the fall of the former regime,” accusing some actors of monopolizing the representation of Syria’s components through de facto control and foreign backing, while using such conferences to evade future obligations and deny the principles of a unified Syrian state—“one army, one government, one country.”
Damascus also condemned hosting what it called “separatist figures involved in hostile acts,” saying this was a clear breach of the March 10 agreement. The government views the conference as an attempt to internationalize Syria’s internal affairs, invite foreign intervention, and reimpose sanctions—responsibility for which, it said, lies with the SDF.
According to the statement, the conference’s proposals contradict the March 10 agreement, whether by calling for a “new national army nucleus,” reconsidering the constitutional declaration, or changing administrative divisions, despite the agreement’s clear provision to merge all civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria into state institutions, ensuring rights based on competence rather than affiliation.
The government nonetheless reaffirmed citizens’ right to peaceful assembly and constructive dialogue—locally or nationally—provided it aligns with “the national project uniting Syria’s land, people, and sovereignty.”
Official Criticism
Alongside SANA’s report, Qutaiba Idlbi, Director of the American Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, criticized the conference in a post on X on Saturday, August 9.
Idlbi argued that “talk of unity and rejection of partition” cannot be reconciled with holding conferences “on sectarian and ethnic bases” that reintroduce symbols of the defunct regime under new names.
He said the real measure of unity lies in actions on the ground and commitments made within Syria, built around a national project that rejects tyranny and its figures, and addresses ethnic and sectarian divides rather than deepening them.
Idlbi added that Damascus’ doors remain open to anyone seeking serious dialogue and joint action to secure a better future for all Syrians.
Conference Calls for Democratic Constitution
The conference, held Friday, August 8, at the Cultural Center in al-Hasakah, brought together more than 400 political and religious figures and tribal leaders from across Syria, along with representatives of the Autonomous Administration. Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri and Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the Diaspora, participated remotely.
The event concluded with a final statement outlining political and social principles, including the importance of pluralism, institutionalizing decentralization, and rejecting exclusion and marginalization.
According to Hawar News Agency, affiliated with the SDF, participants called for drafting a new democratic Syrian constitution that enshrines decentralization, ensures genuine political participation for all components, respects cultural and religious particularities, and promotes social justice and freedom of belief.
The statement also called for reviewing the current constitutional declaration, deemed inadequate in meeting Syrians’ aspirations for dignity and freedom.
Conference outcomes highlighted the importance of transitional justice and national reconciliation, urging a transparent process involving truth-telling, accountability, reparations, and the safe, voluntary return of displaced people, while rejecting all forms of forced demographic change.
Participants voiced full support for the SDF, describing it as the nucleus of a new national, institutional, and professional army to protect Syria’s borders and represent all its components.
Finally, the conference called for a comprehensive national Syrian gathering of all democratic and national forces to build an inclusive national identity and a pluralistic, democratic, decentralized Syria that safeguards human dignity and restores the status of marginalized communities.
Organizers said the agreed document will be officially published in the coming days as a roadmap for national dialogue.
Conference of Northeastern Syria Components Calls for Democratic Constitution
Damascus Freezes “Paris Talks” in Response to “Components Conference” Enab Baladi.
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