United Nations 161d ago

Syrian Ambassador Ibrahim Olabi announced that “a common understanding” has been reached between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) “on a number of issues related to the future of the Hasakah governorate.” Speaking to journalists in New York, Olabi said the Syrian government has agreed to grant the SDF “a four-day period for consultations, internal consultations, to develop a detailed plan for the practical mechanisms for integrating the area in the event of the agreement on that plan.” Syrian forces, he said, “will not enter the centers of Hasakah and Qamishli cities and will remain on their outskirts until the detailed plan is finalized and a time frame has been put for the full integration of those areas.” The Syrian Ambassador noted that the recent decree concerning linguistic, cultural and citizenship rights of Syrian Kurds “will be implemented rapidly, reflecting a shared commitment to building a unified and strong Syria, based on the premise of national partnership and guaranteeing the rights of all Syrian society.” He said, “since the liberation in late 2024 from the Assad regime, the Syrian government was very keen to preserve the unity and stability of the country, following years of dictatorship and under civil war,” and has “made every effort possible and engaged in numerous occasions with all components of Syrian society, and we're always open to their engagement with one another, building the pillars for a unified and prosperous Syria.” Olabi said “Syrian Kurds have suffered for decades under the former regime. This is a fact. Since the liberation, we have done everything that we can to acknowledge that suffering. They participated in the uprising against the Assad regime. They participated in the liberation of Syria. And decree number 13 granted historic rights to Syrian Kurds, which was unprecedented and unimaginable during the Assad times.” He said, “I'm proud that last week, the first cohort of Kurdish individuals graduated from the security services” and added that it was “absolutely key to distinguish between a political military faction, in which some elements have transnational links and transnational ambitions, and the rights of the Syrian Kurds.”