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Syrian government suspends negotiations with the SDF in Paris
Damascus Slams “SDF” Conference in Hasakah: Breach of March 10 Agreement and Attempt to Internationalize the Crisis
In a fresh escalation of tensions between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Damascus strongly condemned a recent conference held by the SDF in the city of Hasakah, describing it as a “clear violation” of the March 10 Agreement and holding the group’s leadership fully responsible for its consequences.
An official government source stated that the conference, titled “Conference on the Unified Stance of the Components of Northeastern Syria”, does not fall within a genuine national framework. Rather, the source described it as a “fragile alliance” of parties harmed by the fall of the previous regime, aimed at internationalizing the Syrian issue and inviting foreign interference.
The source stressed that while citizens’ right to gather and hold discussions is guaranteed, it must be exercised within the framework of a national project that preserves the country’s unity. The shape of the state, he emphasized, cannot be determined through factional or local arrangements, but only through a permanent constitution approved by the people via a national referendum.
Violation of Agreement Terms
According to the government, the conference crossed the red lines of the March 10 Agreement—particularly in its call to form a “core of a new national army” and to reconsider the constitutional declaration—while the agreement clearly stipulates the integration of all civil and military institutions into the official state structures.
The source accused the SDF of attempting to evade its obligations regarding the ceasefire, using the conference as a cover for “systematic demographic change” policies targeting Syrian Arabs in the northeast.
Suspending Negotiations and Rejecting the Paris Table
In a further escalation, the Syrian government announced it would suspend its participation in upcoming meetings scheduled in Paris and refused to sit at the same table with any party seeking to revive the “era of the former regime.”
Damascus called on the SDF to immediately return to compliance with the March 10 Agreement and urged international mediators to transfer all negotiation processes to the Syrian capital, describing it as “the legitimate venue for dialogue.”
Damascus’ Doors Remain Open… Under Conditions
For his part, Qutaiba Idlbi, Director of the U.S. Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote on “X” that the real measure of national unity lies in actions on the ground, not in conferences built on sectarian or ethnic bases. He stressed that Damascus’ doors will remain open to any serious and constructive dialogue.
The Hasakah conference was attended by several prominent figures known for their separatist stances, including Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the Druze spiritual leaders, and Ghazal Ghazal, head of the “Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria.”
