France to hosts a meeting between the Syrian government and the Kurdish Autonomous Administration with US participation
Paris is preparing to host a key meeting next Friday between representatives of the Syrian government and the Kurdish “Autonomous Administration,” with the attendance of US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
The meeting aims to advance the implementation of the March 10 agreement, which stipulates the integration of the SDF and the Autonomous Administration into Syrian state institutions.
Informed Kurdish sources said the Syrian government delegation is led by Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani, while the Kurdish Autonomous Administration will be represented by prominent forces, including SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, head of foreign relations Ilham Ahmed, and head of the negotiating delegation Fawza Youssef.
This meeting is part of a series of previous meetings, the most prominent of which was held in Amman, Jordan, where the US envoy met with the Syrian foreign minister and the commander of the SDF, amid a positive atmosphere, according to sources.
This is the third meeting this July, as part of the implementation of the March agreement signed between Syrian transitional President Ahmed al Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi.
Sources confirmed that France played a key role in bringing the two sides together, leveraging its longstanding ties to the Syrian conflict and its support for the SDF in their fight against ISIS.
The Paris conference is expected to witness the announcement of advanced steps to implement the March agreement, aimed at fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people and recognizing the sacrifices made by the residents of the affected areas.
This development comes after the Amman meeting contributed to correcting the course of negotiations, following the failure of the first round held in Damascus on July 9.
It was agreed upon the necessity of holding a joint military meeting between the SDF and the Syrian Ministry of Defense, along with an understanding on joint management of crossings and the resumption of state institutions’ operations in the autonomous administration areas, with a focus on the return of displaced persons, particularly from Afrin, Ras al Ain, and Tal Abyad.
Regarding the integration of the SDF into the Syrian Ministry of Defense, sources indicated that there is a preliminary understanding allowing Kurdish forces to maintain their own military structure within a unified corps, with their divisions deployed in Raqqa, Deir al Zour, and Hasakah, while remaining in their current areas of presence.
As for the future of SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, sources said that discussing any official role for him within the Syrian government or ministry is still premature, as this requires a legal and constitutional framework that includes the integration of all autonomous administration institutions and employees and the recognition of their degrees.
The first meeting between the two sides was held at Tishreen Palace in Damascus, attended by the Syrian foreign, defense, and interior ministers, as well as the head of the General Intelligence Service.
The Kurdish Autonomous Administration also included Mazloum Abdi, Ilham Ahmed, Fawza Youssef, and Abdul Hamid al Mahbash.
The meeting was also attended by the US and French envoys, along with a prominent Turkish delegation that followed the meeting from an adjacent room without directly participating and was briefed on all the understandings reached.
