ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC) representative on Monday said that its members have declined an invitation to attend the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, saying the event is poorly structured and excludes Kurdish political representation.
Abdulhakim Bashar, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party - Syria (PDK-S) - the backbone of the ENKS -, has refused to participate in the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, which begins Tuesday in Damascus and runs for two days. The event, organized by a preparatory committee, has faced criticism from Kurdish parties for excluding their representatives.
Bashar said he, along with Najah Hevo, head of ENKS’s European representation, and fellow member Hawas Agid were invited as individuals rather than as party representatives, and have collectively decided not to attend.
The conference will open on Monday with guest arrivals, while discussions will begin on Tuesday. The preparatory committee has stated that it held meetings across Syria, involving around 4,000 participants from various backgrounds.
On Thursday, the committee met with individuals from Hasaka province in Damascus and appointed them as representatives. Despite Hasaka being part of the Kurdish-administered northeast (Rojava), no Kurdish political parties were officially invited, leading to condemnation from the ENKS and other Kurdish groups.
Agid also voiced concerns about the conference, particularly regarding its structure and organization. He said the preparatory committee’s handling of the event raised doubts about whether key political issues - including the political process, the constitution, and transitional justice - could be meaningfully discussed in just six hours.
Hassan al-Dugheim, spokesperson for the conference’s preparatory committee, told Rudaw on Thursday that Kurds would participate in the event in a personal capacity rather than as formal delegations. According to information provided by the committee, approximately 400 to 600 people are expected to attend.
The ENKS is an umbrella group of Kurdish opposition parties in northeast Syria.
