AANES stated that it is ready for dialogue with the Damascus government in the Russian-facilitated mediation.

On Friday 2 July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow is ready to facilitate dialogue between Damascus and the Syrian Kurds, provided that both sides stick to coherent positions.

Responding to Lavrov’s statement, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) Foreign Relations Department said that the only solution to the Syrian crisis is dialogue.

In its statement, the Autonomous Administration pointed out that it is working with the Damascus government to solve the problems.

But it also stated that the main sticking-point in the current process was that the Damascus government refused to accept the changes occurring in the region.

AANES stressed that this is the cause of the crisis in Syria.

It noted that the Damascus government was refusing to engage in dialogue either with the Autonomous Administration or with other parties in Syria.

It evaluated Russia’s call to establish a dialogue with the Damascus government as a positive step towards a solution.

“As the Autonomous Administration, we are ready for dialogue,” it said.

At the end of the statement, the AANES said: “We are ready for dialogue with Damascus, but the territorial integrity of our regions and the sacrifices made against terrorism in the first place must be recognised.”