Politics

Syrian Kurdish National Council meets senior US official in Geneva

He “reaffirmed the need to advance an inclusive political resolution to the Syria crisis, in accordance with UNSCR 2254.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/06/03 21:16

The KNC recently met with Ethan Goldrich, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (Photo: US Embassy Syria).

Syria KNC ENKS PYD Syria conflict UN Security Council

Ethan Goldrich, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, met with representatives of the Kurdish National Council on the margins of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, the US Embassy in Syria confirmed in a tweet on Friday.

DAS Goldrich met with representatives from the Kurdish National Council on the margins of the Constitutional Committee and reaffirmed the need to advance an inclusive political resolution to the Syria crisis, in accordance with UNSCR 2254. pic.twitter.com/I4GTUmU6VH
— U.S. Embassy Syria (@USEmbassySyria) June 3, 2022

Goldrich is responsible for the Levant (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon).

He “reaffirmed the need to advance an inclusive political resolution to the Syria crisis, in accordance with UNSCR 2254,” the US Embassy in Syria said in a tweet.

UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2254, adopted in 2015, calls for a ceasefire and a political settlement in Syria.

The eighth round of the Small Body of Syria's Constitutional Committee, took place between 28 May and 3 June in Geneva and was chaired by the United Nations Special Representative for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen.

The group, which counts members of the Syrian government, the Syrian opposition, and civil society organizations, is responsible for drafting a new Syrian constitution.

The KNC, part of the Turkey-based Syrian Arab opposition, has been in several political disputes with the local administration of Syria’s Kurdish-held northern areas, led by the Democratic Union Party (PYD).

However, despite disputes, both sides agree that US forces should stay in northeast Syria.

The US has recently also repeatedly warned Turkey against attacking northern Syria.

In May, the Kurdish National Council (KNC) said Turkey should abandon its plan to return one million Syrians, expressing fears over demographic changes in northern Syria.

However, the KNC has so far not released a statement on the new Turkish threats.

Last year, US officials met with the KNC and the PYD-linked Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in Washington.