Hopes for a breakthrough between the Damascus government and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) have again been dashed, with officials on both sides acknowledging that months of contact have yielded no formal negotiations and no tangible progress. Speaking to Rudaw Media Network on July 27, Ilham Ahmed—the co-chair of the AANES Foreign Relations Department—said the current back-and-forth is “a type of understanding to address the Syrian crisis,” rather than a structured peace process. Her remarks underscore the widening gap over how (or whether) to implement the 10 March framework that was supposed to chart a path toward power-sharing and military integration.
Mediated but Not Negotiated
Ahmed confirmed that mediators from the United States, France, and, indirectly, the United Kingdom are overseeing the contacts. While France has long played a facilitator role, Washington’s open participation is a first. Despite that high-level involvement, she stressed, “Only the Damascus government and the SDF have sat together and discussed certain key points,” and even those sessions remain exploratory. Qutaiba Idlibi, Director of American Affairs at Syria’s Foreign Ministry, echoed the frustration two days earlier, telling state media that implementation “requires genuine will, not months.” So far, the political will appears absent.
Sticking Point: What Does “Integration” Mean?
At the heart of the impasse lies the still-vague term “integration.” The 10 March text calls for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to merge into the national army. For Damascus, that implies a straightforward absorption of SDF fighters under existing command structures. For Ahmed, integration is “dual in nature,” demanding mutual recognition and a “new army that ensures shared security.” She flatly rejected any scenario in which combatants are “handed over” or the SDF is dismantled.
Damascus, she added, is itself “a transitional administration, unelected by the Syrian people,” and therefore cannot unilaterally dictate terms. The constitution, interim government, and People’s Assembly, she charged, were all formed without consulting Kurds—or most other Syrian constituencies.
A Vision of Decentralization, Not Separation
To counter frequent accusations of separatism, Ahmed reiterated that the AANES project aims for a decentralized yet united Syria. Sovereign functions—passports, national identity documents, airports—would remain centrally administered, she said, while education, culture, local policing, and public services would be devolved. “The SDF has no intention of taking control of Qamishli Airport; it is sovereign,” she noted. The same model, she argued, could alleviate grievances in non-Kurdish regions such as predominantly Druze Suwayda, where anti-government protests have surged.
Parallel Channels, Parallel Agendas
Beyond Damascus, the AANES is maintaining open communication lines with Turkey to “reduce tension and prevent military escalation.” Details of those talks remain closely held, and Ankara has yet to confirm any official contact. Meanwhile, international sponsors are pressing both Syrian sides to stay engaged. A 25 July meeting in Paris brought together Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, and U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack, who agreed to convene another round of Damascus-SDF consultations in the French capital “as soon as possible.”
Yet Paris and Washington also face criticism from Damascus for what it sees as **an “unified vision” problem inside the SDF camp. Idlibi urged France to “pressure the SDF to reach the solution that Syrians want.” For now, even forming a Kurdish-only delegation—approved at the Kurdish Unity Conference—has stalled because, according to Ahmed, “Damascus has not yet shown readiness to receive it.”
U.S. Alignment but Local Skepticism
Abroad, AANES representative Sihanouk Dibo told Al-Arabiya that cooperation with Washington remains smooth and that SDF integration “must happen gradually.” He insisted there is “full coordination, responsiveness, and harmony” between the U.S. and the Kurdish-led forces. Still, Dibo warned that calls for the SDF to disarm in the current security vacuum would be tantamount to asking fighters “to go to their death.”
Outlook: Process in Name Only
More than four months after the 10 March agreement, not a single clause has been implemented. Both camps talk of unity, but they advance competing definitions of power-sharing, army reform, and constitutional change. Mediators can convene new meetings in Paris—or elsewhere—but without a shared definition of “integration” and a genuine commitment to decentralization, the Damascus-AANES contacts risk remaining what Ilham Ahmed already calls them: understandings, not negotiations.