Kurdish National Council invited to dialogue with Damascus
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Kurdish National Council (ENKS) announced on Thursday that it had received an official invitation from the Syrian government in Damascus to hold a meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar’a, stressing that the meeting would be for dialogue rather than negotiations.
Suleiman Oso, member of the ENKS presidential body, told North Press, “We were officially invited by the Syrian government in Damascus. President al-Shar’a wants to meet with a delegation from the Kurdish National Council, and in principle, we do not reject the meeting.”
Oso’s remarks came on the sidelines of a panel discussion organized by the “Pell” organization in Qamishli under the theme “New Syria and the Protection of Diversity.”
He underlined that the Council insists on the principle of dialogue, but the upcoming meeting should not be mistaken for political negotiations. “Our mission is not to negotiate on behalf of the Joint Kurdish Delegation; this is only a meeting for discussion and dialogue,” Oso said.
The ENKS official noted that the date of the meeting with al-Shar’a has not yet been set, but the Council expressed readiness to attend. He emphasized that the Joint Kurdish Delegation remains the sole representative body of the Kurdish people in Syria.
“This meeting will not affect the Joint Kurdish Delegation in any way. On Wednesday, we met with them and clarified the details of the invitation, stressing that the delegation represents the will of the Kurdish people across the political and social spectrum,” Oso explained.
He also revealed plans to coordinate with the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), General Mazloum Abdi. “When the meeting with al-Shar’a is confirmed, there will certainly be communication with General Abdi,” Oso said.
Commenting on the reasons behind Damascus’ invitation, Oso suggested that “there are major pressures on Damascus to meet with the Joint Kurdish Delegation, along with calls to separate the political process from military and administrative tracks.”
He confirmed that the Council had not rejected the invitation but insisted that any serious talks must take place with the Joint Kurdish Delegation. Regarding the issues that ENKS intends to raise, Oso stated they would reflect the outcomes of the April 26 conference.