ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Syrian foreign ministry on Friday said that “no tangible results” have been achieved toward integrating northeast Syria (Rojava) institutions into state structures, raising “doubts” about commitments made under the landmark March agreement, state media reported.
“Talk about integrating northeastern Syria's institutions within state institutions has remained within the framework of theoretical statements without executive steps or clear timelines, which raises doubts about the seriousness of commitment to the March 10 agreement,” the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) cited the source as saying.
The comments came after SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi said on Thursday that the group had “reached a mutual understanding” with Syria’s transitional government regarding the future of the SDF and the Kurdish-led administration in Rojava. Abdi stressed that a new Syria should adopt decentralization, according to the pro-SDF Rojava TV.
Despite this, the foreign ministry source said dialogue has not produced “tangible results,” adding that “it appears this discourse is being used for media purposes and to absorb political pressures, amid actual stagnation.”
The source added that claims of understanding are contradicted by the continued presence of armed groups “outside the framework of the Syrian Army with independent leaderships and external links.”
The statement also criticized SDF control over border crossings and “using them as a bargaining chip.”
Rojava and other SDF-held areas are rich in agricultural land and natural resources, including most of Syria’s oil fields, which are controlled by Kurdish-led forces.