Syrian FM calls truce, SDF integration “new phase” for national unity

(MENAFN) Syria’s foreign affairs authorities say the ceasefire and full integration arrangement reached with the Syrian Democratic Forces signals a “new phase” in efforts to unify national institutions, restore full sovereignty, and begin an all-encompassing recovery process across the country, according to official statements released late Sunday.

A statement explains that the country’s “new republic” is grounded in the principle of citizenship, emphasizing that the cohesion and solidarity of the Syrian people in all their social components are the foundation of long-term stability. It adds that Syria’s ethnic and social diversity is viewed as a source of strength rather than a factor for division.

According to the statement, the state is advancing concrete measures to reinforce institutional unity and reestablish authority nationwide, including the administrative and military incorporation of the SDF into official state structures.

These measures, the statement says, aim to safeguard security and stability, eliminate institutional gaps, and reaffirm the state’s sole authority to use force within the boundaries of the law.

As part of this broader approach, reference is made to a decree issued Friday by President Ahmad al-Sharaa that acknowledges the cultural and linguistic rights of Syrian Kurds and addresses longstanding civil and legal matters, including unresolved citizenship status and property disputes. The decree is described as reflecting a political and legal commitment to building an inclusive state that guarantees rights without discrimination.

According to the statement, the understandings reached on Sunday include an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire along all fronts and contact lines, as well as the transfer of eastern Deir ez-Zor and northeastern Raqqa to full administrative and military control of the Syrian government.

The handover also covers the state’s assumption of civilian institutions and facilities, the formal retention of existing employees within relevant ministries, and the incorporation of civilian institutions in Hasakah province into the national administrative system.

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