Mazlum Abdi: Autonomous administration must be recognised

SDF Commander Mazlum Abdi states that no solution project in Syria has any chance of success as long as the autonomous administration in the northeast of the country is not involved. A return to the time before 2011 is impossible, he said.

Mazlum Abdi, General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), does not consider a solution project in Syria to be promising if the autonomous administration of North and East Syria is not involved. Speaking to the Arabic-language news channel Al Arabiya, the SDF commander commented on the prospects of a successful solution to the Syrian crisis and ruled out a military solution. The autonomous administration has paid a high price for defending Syrian territory against invaders, he recalled.

A return to the situation before the civil war began in 2011 is impossible, Mazlum Abdi said and continued: "Military methods can never be the solution. In order to stop the pain of the Syrian people, a democratic path of change must be followed".

Abdi stressed the need for dialogue and the success of the autonomous administration in North-East Syria. He remarked that all sides have to find an appropriate way of dealing with the problem: "All discussions and efforts seeking to find a solution in which the autonomous administration was not involved, have been unsuccessful.”

With regard to the committee for a new Syrian Constitution, which was put together under UN auspices, Mazlum Abdi said that a mistake had been made there and that its composition did not comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2254: "All relevant groups must be represented in this committee. That is why we say that there must be a Syrian solution, a Syrian constitution and dialogue for Syria."

Talks between the autonomous administration and Damascus

A few days ago, the autonomous administration commented on the recent talks with the government in Damascus, which were mediated by Russia. Representatives of the autonomous administration had been informed via Russia that the Syrian regime was prepared to enter into dialogue. However, two days ago, the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Faisal al-Miqdad, stated that they opposed the autonomous administration.

The Foreign Affairs Department of the Autonomous Administration has sharply criticised this announcement, citing the Syrian regime's attitude as the reason for the war in Syria that began in 2011.

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