On March 16, the Kurdish Rudaw news agency carried the following interview with Head of the Syrian Opposition Coalition Anas al-Abdah, by its correspondent in Irbil Dilxaz Bahlawi:

“...Q: “In your opinion, will the new Geneva 3 round of talks produce solutions to the Syrian crisis, or will it be a replica of the previous rounds?

A: “We hope it will be successful, knowing that the previous rounds had failed due to the Syrian regime’s obstinacy and non-seriousness about ensuring a political transition. We are cautiously optimistic..., though we are convinced that the regime will try hard to elude the solution.

Q: “Before heading to Geneva, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said that the presidency and the post of president of the republic were a red line. What are your red lines?

A: “Such statements are issued before the negotiations to raise the ceiling of demands. But if he is truly convinced of that, he should not send anyone to Geneva, since the negotiations are mainly revolving around political transition... Therefore, they will focus on creating a transitional ruling authority, in which Bashar al-Assad has no role. On the other hand, we have three main points. The first is the unity of the Syrian soil and people. The second is Bashar al-Assad’s exclusion from the transitional stage. And the third is the creation of a diverse and democratic political regime.

Q: “Regarding the first point related to the unity of Syrian soil, Russia said that federalism in Syria could be debated, while you rejected earlier the idea of establishing a federal system. How do you comment on that?

A: “We in the Coalition support administrative decentralization, while a key component of the Coalition, i.e. the National Kurdish Council, support the unionist federal solution, as the best option for Syria’s future. In light of the diversity that exists within the Coalition, we accept all the proposed ideas in the context of Syria’s unity. Even when the Kurdish National Council proposes federalism, it does not do so on the basis of partitioning. This should be presented to the Syrian people..., since the revolution was launched so that the people can determine their fate. If they chose federalism, so be it. And this does not mean portioning, rather unity, unlike what some are trying to promote.

Q: “The head of the Kurdish National Council said in statements to Rudaw that Syria was practically divided, and that federalism will reunite it.

A: “There is no doubt that the current situation is painful, and that we are in a state of war. This is why I say that the project is still on the table in the context of the country’s unity, and that there is no violation of the red lines. Federalism in no way means partitioning. It is rather some sort of political decentralization...””