Hussein Othman: Next stage will witness dialogues, openness to AANES's initiative

On the 18th of last April, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria launched an initiative to solve the Syrian crisis, which included 9 items. .

The following is the text of the interview:

*Why did the Autonomous Administration launch its latest initiative to solve the Syrian crisis, and what are its desired goals?

The Syrian crisis has been going on for 12 years, without receiving any echo or any acceptance by all circles and organizations in order to solve it.

As a result of the crisis and intractable problems that appear in the course of the political solution, it was necessary for us in the Autonomous Administration to search for a solution, based on our national principles and our belief in our Syrian identity, where the solution must be Syrian to get rid of this crisis and stop the suffering of the Syrian people, we launched this initiative that talks about convincing solutions that first diagnose the reasons that led to this crisis, and thus to be a nucleus in order to reach a solution comprehensive politics in Syria.

*In the first item of the initiative, you referred to the readiness to dialogue with the Damascus government within the framework of resolving the crisis, to achieve this solution. Who has the Autonomous Administration communicated with so far? What are its efforts to achieve this dialogue?

The Autonomous Administration is always open to dialogue, and we have repeatedly confirmed that the door is open to all Syrians who believe in the Syrian democratic solution, and based on this principle, the first item was talking about the unity of the Syrian territories. Of course, there were discussions, and the door is still open to future dialogues, and we believe that dialogue is the basis for resolving this dilemma and this crisis from which the Syrian people have suffered greatly. Dialogues are continuing and could be deeper in the future and lead to results if everyone believes that dialogue is the only way to reach a comprehensive political settlement in Syria.

We expect the next stage to be a stage of dialogues and openness to this initiative, and we hope that all parties will take the Autonomous Administration initiative seriously and build on it as sound foundations for a sound national dialogue.

*This means that the Autonomous Administration, as an influential and effective Syrian party on the ground, is ready to negotiate with all parties in Syria. Are there any conditions?

Dialogue is the principle for resolving any crisis in the country. As for dialogue with everyone, this depends on your will being free and independent and not being subordinate to external parties in the first place, and not being a mercenary affiliated with other parties.

• On this point specifically, you assert that there is no way to solve in Syria except dialogue and attention to the Syrian interior without the external parties?

Yes, we always say that countries have interests, but where is the interest of the Syrian people? What do the Syrian people want? Today, the Syrian people are tired of this war and the effects of this war, economically and politically.

The solution must be through a Syrian dialogue, without external interference. Because these countries guarantee their interests and want to achieve their goals.

• In the second item, the initiative focused on the solution being to protect the legitimate rights of all the components (Arabs - Kurds - Syriac Assyrians...) and the religious ones that make up the Syrian society. How can this solution be achieved?

When the dialogues begin, the new social contract that guarantees the rights of these components will be discussed in a real and effective manner it will be the true guarantor of the rights of all the components of the Syrian people.

• In the third item, the Autonomous Administration is presented as a model for a solution in Syria. To what extent can the Autonomous Administration project contain the crisis in Syria and constitute a basis for its solution? What gives this project such an edge?

If we want to compare the Autonomous Administration project with the rest of the projects inside the Syrian territories, we find that it was able to gather all the components of the Syrian people and embrace all of these components in one crucible, in order to reach a democratic administration that believes in everyone and guarantees the rights of all.

The Autonomous Administration within this geographical scope does within its available capabilities, and it has proven that it performs well, despite all the existing difficulties.

The administration project is the nucleus of the solution in Syria, and it is one of the projects that would build a new Syria and solve the crisis. So where is the problem if we take this nucleus and apply it in Syria? There may be some mistakes, but the Autonomous Administration is still the best model inside Syria. Through its institutions and works, it proved to be a good opportunity to be an example for all other regions in Syria, and this is what we noticed through the cohesion of all components.

* But there are many Syrian parties that reject the Autonomous Administration project?

We find that there are voices that always speak to distort the image of the Autonomous Administration, we are with the unity of the Syrian lands in the first place, and we say that this project is for all Syrians, and within the initiative we emphasized that the national wealth is for all Syrians.

There are systematic media policies that attack and fight this project, and mercenaries working for the projects of other countries, including the Turkish occupation state in order to strike and distort the image of the Autonomous Administration.

The Autonomous Administration has become a difficult figure present in the Syrian arena in the first place, and it has also begun to open up to regional countries. There are visits in European countries.

• The Autonomous Administration focused on the issue of distributing wealth and economic resources fairly among all Syrian regions, so what are its proposals in this regard? And what do you see?

Existing wealth is wealth for all Syrians. Regarding the issue of distribution, this takes place after dialogue sessions between the Syrians themselves, and it is also enshrined within the constitution or the social contract, in terms of distributing these wealth, of course, according to the available capabilities, and each individual has a share of these wealth, and this  must be preserved in the social contract, and everyone must believe that these wealth belong to all the people.

* The Autonomous Administration has shown its willingness to embrace immigrants and the displaced and receive them within its available capabilities. How will they be received while the crossings are closed? And if the return of the migrants is approved, what is the Autonomous Administration’s plan in this regard?

The Autonomous Administration based on its humanitarian and moral duty,we call on the active states and international organizations to solve this outstanding problem, and we call on the United Nations to play its humanitarian role well and work to open these crossings to receive refugees and displaced persons in light of what is happening in Sudan and Lebanon and its impact on the Syrians.

* The Autonomous Administration, through its initiative, affirms the continuation of efforts to combat terrorism. What conditions does the Autonomous Administration consider necessary to achieve the total elimination of terrorism in all its forms, especially ISIS?

After the military eradication of ISIS, there must also be the building of a healthy society free of extremist ideas, through the process of stabilization and the maintenance of that stability. Here we need the support of the international community to stop the attacks on our regions that affect the stability process.

The attacks that the Autonomous Administration areas are always exposed to are one of the causes of instability and one of the most important reasons that may lead to the return of extremist ideology.

There are many cells working under the command of the Turkish state in order to strike stability in the areas of the Autonomous Administration, and the international community and the international coalition must do their duty in this field, stop these attacks, and have the say on their position on these attacks in order to protect stability in the areas of the Autonomous Administration.

In addition, there must be awareness campaigns through the media and all educational institutions and spreading awareness among all components of the Syrian people in order for us to preserve this country.

* You talked about a number of steps that must be taken to eliminate ISIS. Is the Autonomous Administration at the present time able to achieve these steps in these circumstances?

Of course, we are working hard and within the capabilities available to us in the context of this issue. We must not forget that Al-Hol camp contains very large numbers of prisoners with extremist ideas. They are considered a cultural and intellectual time bomb in that place. Where is the role of the international community and active countries in solving this problem? We must also not forget that there is a group of children who are growing up within this environment. We call on the international community to play its role, we need support in this field, and we need real positions to achieve stability.

* The seventh item talks about the Turkish occupation of the Syrian territories. To what extent does the occupation affect the efforts for a solution in Syria? What is the Autonomous Administration's point of view in dealing with this file?

First, the occupation must leave Syria to achieve the first item of this initiative. The exit of the occupation is inevitable for the existence of any solution in Syria. From this standpoint, we call on all the occupiers to leave the Syrian lands, and we affirm that these occupations were created to perpetuate the reality of division.

*The Autonomous Administration calls on the Arab countries, the United Nations and all international actors active in the Syrian issue to play a positive role in finding a solution in Syria. How does the Autonomous Administration evaluate the recent international positions related to Syria in light of the Arab rapprochement with the Damascus government as well as the normalization with Turkey?

We are always with any international efforts to solve the Syrian crisis, but there must be the involvement of all national political forces present on this land, we support all endeavors that would resolve this conflict and solve this crisis. As for ignoring a component or force present on the ground, it will be an obstacle to the existence of any solution. The recent movements in the region and what we are witnessing in terms of the development of relations and the path of normalization in the recent period, and the recent rapprochements must have goals that lead to a real Syrian settlement.

We are currently seeking to communicate the definition of Autonomous Administration in the Arab countries, and there will be channels of communication in the future, working to clarify the idea of Autonomous Administration and its project, so we welcome any rapprochement that guarantees the interest of the Syrians.

*The Autonomous Administration expresses its willingness to discuss all viewpoints and draft solutions, and to arrange all necessary procedures to embrace the parties and launch discussions of dialogue and a national solution. Will work be done to translate this item on the ground, communicate with the parties, and discuss points of view and possible solutions?

Of course, the Autonomous Administration has always sought to sit down and dialogue with everyone, but we find that there are some parties that are not in line with this position due to their dependence on external agendas. Dialogue is the basis for resolving the Syrian dilemma. What the Autonomous Administration did by meeting with national democratic opposition figures, and there are meetings taking place away from the spotlight or the media, in order to reach a real democratic conference, which comes within this framework.

*Your last letter?

We send a message to all honorable and free Syrians that Syria has reached a very dangerous stage of division and sliding into the abyss, and we demand that all rational people who believe in their Syria make dialogue their principle and that acceptance of the other be the basis of their thinking about the interest of the country.

We hope that the Autonomous Administration initiative will be of interest to those who believe in a political solution in Syria, The Autonomous Administration is proactive in proposing national solutions, and we stress the need for everyone to support this initiative.

a.k

ANHA