Co-chair of the Executive Council of the Syrian Democratic Council (MSD), Ilham Ehmed, talked to ANHA about the meeting held with the Syrian regime in Damascus on July 26.

Ilham Ehmed, who had previously held talks with Syrian regime officials in Tabqa, said that the latest official visit to Damascus was made following an invitation by Syrian regime officials.

The MSD co-chair denied assertions that the [by SDF] liberated areas will be handed over to the regime forces, and stressed that the solution of the war in Syria lies in the hands of the Syrian peoples alone and cannot be solved through external interventions.

Allegations denied

Following the meetings with the Syrian regime delegation, İlham Ehmed said that many people had spread lies and wanted to distort the meaning of the talks.

Emphasizing that all hopes should not be put on negotiations with Syrian regime officials, Ilham Ehmed said: "We must first work for the development of dialogue. The problem is not just demands and proposals, the problem is one of democracy and human rights in Syria. These problems are profound and at the same time very important. The Syrian government must provide a return to a constitution in which all Syrian peoples and beliefs are included."

'We want our legitimate rights'

Stating that the Syrian crisis could not be overcome through a meeting alone, İlham Ehmed added: "The basis of the meeting was in fact to establish whether or not the regime had the intention to initiate dialogue. The Syrian regime has always blamed foreign interventions and has always tried to elude the role of the regime in the Syrian crisis. We have never attacked the Syrian regime forces. We of course used our right to self-defense at times of conflict. Throughout the Syrian war we have been striving to obtain our legitimate rights and have protected our living spaces from the attacks of mercenary groups. We intend to establish a democratic system and to do so, we have taken steps to set it up."

'The key to the solution of the Syrian crisis is in the hands of Syrian peoples'

Emphasizing that the current war in Syria continues to expose the country to the danger of fragmentation, Ilham Ehmed remarked that the MSD has always been in favor of resolving the crisis through dialogue and peaceful methods.

Ehmed added that they talked about the Democratic Autonomy with the regime delegation and said: "In the meeting with the regime delegation, it was said that committees will be established in case of an agreement. Here is an important point: if they do not agree with us, it will become clear that these invitations are only propaganda".

'The meeting was positive'

Ilham Ehmed said that the opinion on the meeting was positive but added: "It won't be wise to channel all our hopes towards this meeting. These talks will be the beginning to find some solutions. Undoubtedly we are the key and the real power for solution."

İlham Ehmed pointed out that some parties and media were not reflecting the truth about the meeting, talking about possible deals on SDF liberated areas. "This discourse and claims are false. There is no question of the liberated areas being handed to anyone".