Canada links Syria recognition, sanctions relief to acknowledging AANES
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A senior Canadian official said on Wednesday that Damascus must recognize the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) as “the de facto” authority if it hopes to gain Canadian recognition and see sanctions lifted.
Tom Kmiec, deputy speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, told Rudaw that “some kind of settlement” is required for Syria to move forward with Western governments, including Ottawa.
“If they want recognition and the end of sanctions, they must establish a neutral, inclusive state that acknowledges the Kurds in Rojava as the de facto authorities on the ground,” he said.
Asked about potential Kurdish demands for autonomy, Kmiec stressed that the matter should be decided by Syrians themselves, but noted that coexistence is possible. ” he Kurds in Bashur (Iraqi Kurdistan) proved it was possible with Baghdad, and I’m confident the Kurds in Rojava can figure out a path forward too,” he said.
The Canadian deputy speaker called for drafting a new constitution that represents Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious groups, warning against reinstating old state structures.
“It has to include all people. It cannot simply preserve the old structures or name of the state. If it does, Syria risks repeating the mistakes of the past under Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez. Too many people have been killed, too many imprisoned or tortured under the regime’s oppressive system. Repeating that cycle would be a tragedy.”