By Zana al-Ali
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – During a dialogue forum in the city of Raqqa in northern Syria attended by political figures and entities from across Syria, several Syrian politicians and political forces criticized the committee announced by the Syria’s transitional President last week, stating that it does not represent all Syrians.
The preparatory committee consists of seven members, including two women, marking the first step in the transitional phase in Syria, more than two months after the fall of the al-Assad regime.
One-sided committee
Syrian politicians denounced the composition of the preparatory committee for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference, asserting that it is a one-sided body that fails to represent the diverse spectrum of Syrians.
Hassan al-Yazji, a member of the Political Bureau of the Syria Al-Ghad Party, expressed surprise at the committee’s formation. “First, none of committee members have their academic credentials mentioned. It is clear that it consists only of members affiliated with HTS. This is an undemocratic beginning and does not inspire any hope,” he stated.
Speaking to North Press, al-Yazji added that the committee, which is supposed to prepare for a Syrian-Syrian dialogue, should have represented all Syrians if its goal were to find solutions for Syria. He warned that this is a step towards “a new dictatorship, worse than the previous one. This will only drag Syria into further destruction.”
Elias Halyani, Head of the Syrian Secular Association, also criticized the committee’s composition, calling it “illogical,” as five of its members are affiliated with HTS.
The outcome is already predictable given that five members are affiliated with HTS, he told North Press.
Anas Joud, Head of the National Construction Movement, argued that the issue is not just the committee itself but the conference as a whole, noting that they still do not know its agenda.
Joud stated that while the committee claims to represent all Syrians, the reality is evident from government and institutional appointments, all of which have followed the same one-sided approach. “A national dialogue cannot be built on a single perspective or ideology,” he said.
He emphasized the need for genuine partnership among all factions to ensure a balanced dialogue that produces meaningful results. “A national dialogue is neither a simple nor a quick matter. It is a foundational process. Everyone must participate so that we can build the future together,” he added.
Abbas Shelesh, from the Syrian Cultural Team in Rural Damascus, told North Press that the preparatory committee should have acknowledged the full spectrum of Syrian society and embraced genuine citizenship for all Syrians.
He stressed that any competent participant in the national conference should not be affiliated with specific factions.
Exclusion of Syrian political forces
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) criticized the formation of the preparatory committee for the Syrian National Dialogue, describing its selection criteria as “exclusive and restrictive.” According to the statement, this reflects a “misjudgment” of Syria’s complex reality.
The AANES argued that such an approach demonstrates a “clear deficiency” in the process of democratic transformation in the new Syria, warning that the lack of inclusivity and flexibility in forming the committee could revert the country to the centralized governance of the previous regime.
Meanwhile, the Kurdish National Council in Syria (ENKS) called for a reassessment of the committee’s composition, stressing that it should reflect Syria’s political and ethnic diversity.
The ENKS voiced concerns about the exclusion of Kurdish representation, considering it a violation of the principle of national partnership, which could undermine the success of any dialogue process aimed at finding serious solutions to the Syrian crisis.
The ENKS urged corrections to this “imbalance” by ensuring fair and effective participation of Kurds and all Syrian components to achieve balanced representation and lay the foundation for an inclusive national dialogue.
The statements from both the AANES and the ENKS came in response to remarks by Hassan al-Daghim, spokesperson for the preparatory committee, who stated that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were not invited to the conference.
Last week, the preparatory committee held its first press conference in Damascus to announce its agenda.
He added that the conference’s timing, the number of participants, and its discussion topics are still open for public debate and will be revealed in the coming days.