SDC: Damascus Conference reinforces exclusion and hinders real solutions

On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the SDC issued a statement to the public regarding the so-called "National Dialogue Conference" held in Damascus. The statement reads:

"The Syrian Democratic Council has followed the proceedings of the so-called 'National Dialogue Conference' held in Damascus on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

The Council had previously expressed its disapproval of the composition of the preparatory committee, its orientations, and statements. The convening of the conference only continues the approach of exclusion and marginalization that has dominated Syria's political scene for decades.

The lack of fair representation of Syria’s ethnic, social, and political components, along with the hasty organization of the conference without ensuring transparency and real guarantees, confirms that this gathering did not take Syria’s crucial issues and future seriously. Instead, it was merely a formal event that does not serve the required solutions or national partnership in rebuilding Syria.

The authorities in Damascus continue to rely on outdated and failed methods used by the Assad regime, such as monopolizing political decision-making and excluding active national forces and components. This will only deepen divisions and hinder any chance of a successful transitional process. What is needed is to abandon these authoritarian methods and conduct a meaningful, genuine, and inclusive dialogue that lays the foundation for a balanced transitional phase reflecting the will of the Syrian people, away from political monopolization and decision-making control, while building a democratic, pluralistic, and decentralized state based on equal citizenship."

A-H

ANHA