Ahead of a rescheduled meeting in Paris between a delegation from North and East Syria and the transitional government in Damascus, Kurdish leaders have set out their political priorities and security red lines. SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi outlined his expectations for the talks and the broader international track. At the same time, KJK executive Jîdem Doğu emphasized that the YPJ will not disarm without credible guarantees and a democratic framework in place.
What did the SDF Commander-in-Chief say about the Kurdish Issue
Speaking to the Firat News Agency (reproduced by the Hawar News), Mazloum Abdi stated that the decisions of the Kurdish Unity and Position Conference in Qamishlo—attended by Kurdish parties and figures across the political spectrum—represent a collective mandate that will be presented to Damascus. He stressed that ongoing contacts with the Syrian side on North and East Syria’s military, administrative, and security files are not a substitute for addressing the Kurdish question itself, which he said is explicitly covered in a March 10 agreement. When a formal process begins, a Kurdish delegation representing the conference outcomes will go to Damascus to discuss the issue directly.
Abdi confirmed that a July 25 meeting in Paris between the North and East Syria delegation and Damascus was prepared with the guarantor states, but was postponed at the last moment. The French side informed them formally, he said, explaining that Damascus requested a delay due to developments in Sweida. France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, and U.S. envoy Tom Barrack both conveyed their readiness to proceed soon and expressed regret over the postponement, according to Abdi. Preparations have since resumed, and a new date has been scheduled, although he declined to disclose it.
Paris Agenda
Abdi outlined the main Paris agenda items:
- Administrative and governance matters for North and East Syria, including border management and crossings
- Oil and resource arrangements
- Modalities for SDF integration
- Participation in Damascus-led institutions, including the transitional government, the preparatory committee for a new parliament, and constitutional drafting
- Practical files, such as education and official recognition of academic certificates
On relations with Turkey, Abdi said there has been relative calm for four months, with a ceasefire halting previous clashes near Tishrin Dam and Qara Qozak and stopping Turkish airstrikes. He attributed the lull to ongoing talks between the Kurdish movement and Ankara, as well as to channels opened by international actors. The SDF seeks to make the ceasefire sustainable and is ready for further confidence-building measures, he added. Still, any comprehensive solution must address occupied areas, such as Afrin and Serêkaniyê, to enable the safe return of displaced people.
Regarding ISIS, Abdi said operations continue, including intelligence cooperation across Syria. He pointed to a nascent opening for joint work involving the SDF, the United States, and Damascus, as U.S.-Damascus contacts develop. After a decade of anti-ISIS cooperation, he argued, there is now a basis to expand political relations at the Syrian level. The anticipated presence of U.S. and French representatives in the meeting with Damascus, he said, is itself a political step that could unlock broader progress.
Jîdem Doğu: The YPJ Cannot Hand Over Its Weapons
In a separate interview on Medya Haber TV, KJK Executive Council member Jîdem Doğu stated that the key to resolving Syria’s crisis lies in decentralization and the establishment of a democratic system that enables communities to govern themselves—what she described as a “democratic society.” She welcomed the August 8 “Unity of Stance of the Components of North and East Syria” conference in Hasakah, which brought together representatives of multiple communities and, in her view, reflected the idea of a “Syrian Democratic Republic.”
Doğu argued that calls for the SDF to disarm or “integrate” are illogical under current conditions. In her assessment, Syria lacks a unified national army capable of guaranteeing protection; instead, a patchwork of armed groups persists, with continuing attacks targeting people over national, ethnic, or sectarian identities. Given the sacrifices made—tens of thousands of casualties—and the achievements of the women’s revolution, she said, the YPJ “cannot hand over its weapons” to forces that offer no credible guarantees for life and liberty. Any lasting settlement, she maintained, must safeguard pluralism, protect all communities—Kurds, Arabs, Armenians, and Syriacs among them—and institutionalize women’s freedoms.
Taken together, the messages from Abdi and Doğu frame the stakes for Paris: Kurdish leaders are ready to engage on a comprehensive political track—governance, security arrangements, and participation in national institutions—while insisting that any agreement must secure fundamental protections on the ground, enable the safe return of the displaced, and anchor a decentralized, democratic order that reflects Syria’s diversity.