Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the creation of the Syrian Democratic Assembly in Northern Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The creation of the Syrian Democratic Assembly to act as the political branch of the Syrian Democratic Forces was agreed at the Democratic Syria Conference for Opposition Forces held between 8-9 December. This conference brought together Syrian Kurdish and Arab parties that reside in Northern Syria. They discussed the future of the country after four years of war and agreed that the Syrian crisis must be solved through negotiation, the fight against terrorism and political change through a transition followed by free and fair elections and a new constitution.

It is important that all parties, including the Syrian Democratic Assembly, work towards the shared goal of a political settlement to the conflict based on the Geneva Communiqué. The UK will continue to work through the International Syrian Support Group towards that goal.