Washington facilitates dialogue between Damascus, SDF – U.S. official
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A U.S. Department of State official told North Press on Wednesday that Washington continues to support and facilitate dialogue between the Syrian transitional government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), calling on both sides to engage in “productive, good faith negotiations.”
“We continue to support and facilitate dialogue between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces,” the official said. “We urge productive, good faith negotiations between the two sides.”
The official referred to recent remarks by U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack, who underscored Syria’s complex social fabric, describing the country as “a mosaic of factions and minorities with hundreds of years of legacy.”
“Bringing all of that together into one Syrian state is a process in itself,” Barrack said.
The State Department declined to comment on the specifics of the ongoing discussions, directing inquiries to the SDF and the Syrian government.
The statement comes amid reports of renewed contacts between Damascus and the SDF concerning the future status of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and the integration of SDF forces into Syrian state institutions.
A few days ago, an SDF delegation visited Damascus and discussed mechanisms for integrating into the Syrian army, as part of the March 10 agreement reached between both sides.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said earlier this week that integrating the SDF into Syrian state structures would accelerate the country’s development, signaling Ankara’s cautious interest in the process.
Washington has long emphasized the importance of a Syrian-led political solution in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, while continuing to back the SDF as a key partner in the fight against ISIS in northeast Syria.