Kurdish academic Farid Saadoun predicted progress and development in the ongoing dialogue between Damascus and the so-called Kurdish Autonomous Administration. He explained that “dialogues used to take place at the military level at the Hmeimim base, while now political meetings are taking place in Damascus under Russian auspices.”
In a statement to Al-Watan, Saadoun, who lives in the city of Hasakeh, said: “The dialogues between the government and the Autonomous- Administration have not stopped and are continuing. There is coordination at high levels at the security and military levels, and the political dialogue remains. It has not led to a result until today, but during the past weeks there was Russian sponsorship of dialogues between the two parties, which are continuing until now.”
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He added: “We expect this time that there will be development and progress in these dialogues because previously they were taking place at the military level at the Hmeimim base, while now political meetings are taking place in Damascus under Russian auspices, especially because it is in the interest of both parties to agree.”
On Saturday, the Kurdish website BasNews quoted an informed source as saying: “The Kurdish National Council will hold its conference publicly in front of the media in the city of Qamishli, despite fears that it will be prevented by the security services of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Saadoun explained that “the conference was supposed to be held four years ago,” but during the last conference, the participants were attacked by SDF militants, and therefore there was great delay in holding the conference for fear of repeating the attack on the participants.”
He pointed out that after the US administration changed its envoy to the SDF-controlled areas and installed Nicholas Granger, he communicated with the Council and the SDF. “It seems that SDF has developed a degree of flexibility in dealing with the Council,” he said. “And this flexibility was one of the outcomes that will allow the Council to hold its fourth general conference.” He expressed his expectations that something is happening behind the scenes because the Autonomous Administration previously did not allow the Council to hold its conference because it is represented in the so-called “coalition”. The Autonomous Administration accuses this pro-Turkish opposition, which is based in Istanbul, of dealing with the Turkish government.
Saadoun expressed his belief that the flexibility shown by the Autonomous Administration towards holding the conference stems from “American intervention.” He ruled out, however, the notion that Washington will succeed in unifying the Kurdish forces, noting that there is no existing dialogue between the Autonomous Administration and the Council.
The Kurdish academic perceives that the United States has a new plan for northern Syria. He pointed out that Washington had previously been sending its envoy to northeastern Syria on a one-year mission. Yet the last envoy, for the first time, has a mission that extends for two years. This change confirms that the United States is preparing a long-term regional project.
Saadoun contends that the new American plan is to link the areas east of the Euphrates, which are controlled by the Autonomous Administration, with the areas west of the Euphrates, which are controlled by the Turkish-backed “opposition.” He considers that this plan faces considerable obstacles to success because the militias that spread west of the Euphrates are terrorist militias and are not united. At the same time, everyone knows that it was the Turkish regime that pushed the terrorist organization Jabhat al-Nusra to enter Afrin.
Saadoun explained that the American and Turkish sides are pressuring each other in order to accept the other’s project. He predicts that the situation will not resolve itself due to the fundamental differences between the projects east and west of the Euphrates. He pointed out that the SDF did not enter into a war with the state, while the Turkish regime and its affiliated factions have goals to “overthrow the Syrian government.” Accordingly, fundamental differences exist between the two sides. He pointed out that the American project is based on unifying the “opposition” and the SDF, with the United States intervening to hold meetings between the latter and the different camps. Currently, meetings are being held between the SDF’s leaders and leaders of the opposition, which America describes as “moderate.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
