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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday voiced optimism about ongoing dialogue between Kurdish authorities and the Syrian government, saying that Kurds are now recognized as citizens.
“Fortunately, today all recognize that the Kurds in Syria are Syrian citizens. And the Syrian citizens, they must have full engagement in the political life of the country and the future life of the country. And I am very hopeful of the conduction of the dialogue between the leadership in Damascus and the leadership in the Kurdish region,” Guterres said during a press conference at the Arab League summit in Baghdad.
Guterres said he had tried to persuade the previous regime to end the stateless status of thousands of Kurds.
In a 1962 census, at least 120,000 Kurds, 20 percent of the Syrian Kurdish population, were stripped of their citizenship. Their stateless status was passed down through generations. During the civil war, Kurds in the northeast (Rojava) carved out an area of control and established their own administration. They are now in talks with the interim government in Damascus.
“In Syria, it is very important to recognize that the Kurdish population in Syria is an integral part of Syria,” said Guterres.
The Syrian people need a path toward a political transition that includes all segments of society, ensures accountability and national reconciliation, and leads to greater integration into the international community and economy through the lifting of sanctions, Guterres added.
On March 10, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi signed an agreement that integrates the SDF into the Syrian state apparatus. The deal includes recognition of the Kurdish population as a core component of Syria, a nationwide ceasefire, and the return of displaced people to their homes.
The Kurds, however, are unhappy about key decisions being made in Damascus.
The transitional constitution cements central authority while Kurds have called for federalism and decentralization. Kurds and other minority communities also say they have been marginalized by Damascus.
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