Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria have declared a federal region in the north, according to officials cited by AFP and a Reuters witness.
Idris Nassan, an official in the foreign affairs directorate of Kobani, said on Wednesday that the Kurdish-controlled areas will reportedly be named the Federation of Northern Syria, and will represent all ethnic groups living there.
Speaking to RT Arabic, Nassan said that the proposal of federation has existed since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
“Syria's Kurds have a long history of opposition and a long history of struggle for the legitimate rights of their people in this country,” Nassan said, explaining that the nationalist struggle has evolved into a more “developed” form of fighting for equal rights in general.
Nassan stressed, however, that federalization does not mean the Kurdish people will go down the "path of separatism."
“Therefore, I believe that the international players, primarily Russia and the United States will support this approach and advocate for its implementation,” he said.
The newly established system is expected to replace the autonomous cantons in Syria Kurdistan (Rojava).
The move comes after the Syrian Kurdish PYD party's exclusion from political talks in Geneva aimed at ending the Syrian crisis.
The exclusion is in line with the wishes of Turkey, which sees the party as an offshoot of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Ankara is currently battling the PKK in southeastern Turkey, northern Syria, and Iraq.
However, Moscow has strongly insisted that the Kurds be invited to upcoming peace talks, suggesting that leaving them out could endanger Syria's territorial integrity. Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy to Syria, has also said the Syrian Kurds deserve a spot at the negotiating table in Geneva.
Source:
https://www.rt.com/news/335951-kurds-federal-system-syria/
Idris Nassan, an official in the foreign affairs directorate of Kobani, said on Wednesday that the Kurdish-controlled areas will reportedly be named the Federation of Northern Syria, and will represent all ethnic groups living there.
Speaking to RT Arabic, Nassan said that the proposal of federation has existed since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
“Syria's Kurds have a long history of opposition and a long history of struggle for the legitimate rights of their people in this country,” Nassan said, explaining that the nationalist struggle has evolved into a more “developed” form of fighting for equal rights in general.
Nassan stressed, however, that federalization does not mean the Kurdish people will go down the "path of separatism."
“Therefore, I believe that the international players, primarily Russia and the United States will support this approach and advocate for its implementation,” he said.
The newly established system is expected to replace the autonomous cantons in Syria Kurdistan (Rojava).
The move comes after the Syrian Kurdish PYD party's exclusion from political talks in Geneva aimed at ending the Syrian crisis.
The exclusion is in line with the wishes of Turkey, which sees the party as an offshoot of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Ankara is currently battling the PKK in southeastern Turkey, northern Syria, and Iraq.
However, Moscow has strongly insisted that the Kurds be invited to upcoming peace talks, suggesting that leaving them out could endanger Syria's territorial integrity. Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy to Syria, has also said the Syrian Kurds deserve a spot at the negotiating table in Geneva.
Source:
https://www.rt.com/news/335951-kurds-federal-system-syria/
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