France backs Syrian Kurds in post-Assad transition, says foreign minister

France has reaffirmed its commitment to the Kurdish population in Syria’s northeast, known as Rojava, and their democratic aspirations, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in his letter dated 2 June, responding to a January letter from Senator Pascal Savoldelli that urged Paris not to abandon its historic Kurdish allies.

Barrot stressed that the Kurds “must be able to fully participate in reclaiming their nation” and gain full recognition of their citizenship and cultural rights as Syria embarks on a fragile political transition. His remarks followed a January 2025 appeal from Communist Party Senator Savoldelli, who warned of escalating attacks by Turkish forces and their proxies on Kurdish-majority regions such as Manbij (Minbîc) and Deir ez-Zor (Dêrazor).

France, Barrot said, is actively supporting the new transitional government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa and views the 10 March agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – the Kurdish-led security forces – and Damascus as “a positive first step” toward unifying the country. He also confirmed France’s ongoing dialogue with SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi, whom he met in Iraqi Kurdistan’s Erbil (Hewlêr) on 23 April.

Beyond internal Syrian developments, Barrot revealed French mediation efforts between Syrian Kurds and Turkey, as well as between Kurdish factions in Syria and Iraq, aimed at promoting regional stability and avoiding further conflict. France regularly calls upon Ankara to support de-escalation, he added.

Savoldelli’s original letter described Rojava’s governance model as “a reference for the construction of a new, inclusive and democratic Syria” and warned that failure to protect the Kurdish population could result in “a new humanitarian catastrophe”.

Barrot’s reply marks one of the strongest French governmental statements since Assad’s fall, underscoring France’s intention to play an active diplomatic role in Syria’s reconstruction—while keeping the Kurdish question at its centre.

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