Russian FM insists Kurds be allowed participate in Syria peace talks
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called upon the United Nations special envoy Staffan de Mistura on Friday to include Syria's Kurds in the peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in that country.
Not allowing the Kurds to participate, he said according to Reuters, would be a "demonstration of weakness" on the part of the world powers.
His comments come as the world powers are contemplating dividing the country into a federal entity whereby many smaller groups, such as the Kurds, would have greater autonomy.
The Syrian mainstream opposition however opposes federalism as a solution, its coordinator, Riad Hijab, said that, "Any mention of this federalism or something which might present a direction for dividing Syria is not acceptable at all. We have agreed we will expand non-central government in a future Syria, but not any kind of federalism or division."
de-Mistura however still believes it to be an option. The head of the leading Syrian Kurdish Party, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) said last Tuesday that, "What you call it isn't important. We have said over and over again that we want a decentralized Syria - call it administrations, call it federalism - everything is possible."
The Syria peace talks are set to reconvene in Geneva on Monday.
Not allowing the Kurds to participate, he said according to Reuters, would be a "demonstration of weakness" on the part of the world powers.
His comments come as the world powers are contemplating dividing the country into a federal entity whereby many smaller groups, such as the Kurds, would have greater autonomy.
The Syrian mainstream opposition however opposes federalism as a solution, its coordinator, Riad Hijab, said that, "Any mention of this federalism or something which might present a direction for dividing Syria is not acceptable at all. We have agreed we will expand non-central government in a future Syria, but not any kind of federalism or division."
de-Mistura however still believes it to be an option. The head of the leading Syrian Kurdish Party, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) said last Tuesday that, "What you call it isn't important. We have said over and over again that we want a decentralized Syria - call it administrations, call it federalism - everything is possible."
The Syria peace talks are set to reconvene in Geneva on Monday.