France is preparing to convene a high-stakes round of Syria peace talks that could finally weave the country’s Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration—militarily represented by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—into the fabric of a future Syrian state. Paris’ initiative highlights a growing international consensus that no durable settlement in Syria is possible without the Kurds at the table.
The Road to Paris
The upcoming meeting builds on the March 10 agreement signed by Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi. That deal outlined a pathway for both political and military integration of Kurdish institutions into Damascus-run structures. Still, implementation has stalled amid disputes over constitutional language and the future status of Kurdish self-administration. An earlier session scheduled for late July was postponed when Damascus demanded the SDF disarm—an idea Kurdish leaders flatly rejected.
Diplomatic Cast and Stakes
French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot will preside over the negotiations. At the same time, U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack offers Washington’s political backing and leverage over Syria’s oil-rich northeast, where American troops still operate. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem heads the Damascus delegation. Paris is also brokering an intra-Kurdish dialogue aimed at unifying rival blocs, such as the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), in the hope of presenting a single, coherent Kurdish voice.
Core Disagreements
The two sides remain apart on several existential questions. Kurds want a legally binding self-administration, whereas Damascus favors a far more limited form of decentralization. Negotiators must decide whether the SDF will be incorporated as a semi-autonomous corps within the Syrian army or fully absorbed and disarmed. They must also craft constitutional language that recognizes Kurdish identity, culture, and resource rights without alienating other Syrian constituencies or provoking regional opposition, particularly from Turkey.
Signs of Momentum
Despite setbacks, incremental progress is evident. A recent prisoner-exchange agreement and the redeployment of Kurdish internal-security units to Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo demonstrate that both sides can cooperate when their interests align. French diplomats have called the Paris meeting “the most serious bid since Bashar al-Assad’s fall” to produce an inclusive Syrian settlement.
What Comes Next
Talks are expected to open in early August. Diplomats caution that nothing is agreed upon until everything is agreed upon, yet the explicit support of France and the United States has injected new momentum. For Kurdish leaders and war-weary Syrians, the Paris round could determine whether the Kurds secure constitutional recognition or remain on the political margins. Resolving the Kurdish file, observers say, may be the key that finally unlocks a comprehensive peace for Syria.