DAMASCUS, Syria — An official from the committee organizing a national dialogue conference aimed at shaping Syria’s future announced on Friday that no decision has been made regarding whether the event will occur before or after the establishment of a new government. The timing of the conference remains open for discussion among citizens, according to Hassan al-Daghim, the committee’s spokesperson, during an interview held in Damascus.
Al-Daghim commented, “If the transitional government is established prior to the conference, that would be acceptable.” Conversely, he noted that “the caretaker government could potentially continue until the completion of the national dialogue.” He elaborated that the upcoming conference would prioritize topics such as constitution drafting, economic reform, transitional justice, institutional changes, and the authorities’ approach towards the Syrian people. The results of the national dialogue will consist of non-binding recommendations aimed at the new leadership.
HTS indicated that a new government would be formed through a more inclusive approach by March. In January, Ahmad al-Sharaa, the former HTS leader, was appointed as Syria’s interim president after a meeting with several former rebel factions. During this gathering, the factions agreed to annul the existing constitution, dissolve the national army and security forces, and discontinue all official political parties.
The armed groups in attendance also reached a consensus to disband themselves and integrate their members into the planned national army and security forces. However, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which hold significant authority in northeastern Syria, were notably absent from these discussions. There has been growing international pressure for al-Sharaa to fulfill the pledges of an inclusive political transition, with the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, stating this week that forming a comprehensive government by March 1 could influence the potential lifting of Western sanctions as the country embarks on reconstruction.
Al-Daghim emphasized that the agreements made during January’s meeting of former rebel factions addressed “security matters that are vital for every citizen’s life” and that “these sensitive issues cannot be deferred” for the sake of awaiting a broader inclusive process. Recently, the preparatory committee has been convening in various locations across Syria to gather public opinions ahead of the main conference. Al-Daghim reported a strong consensus on the necessity for “transitional justice and national unity.”
“There was a significant rejection of systems like quotas, cantons, federalism, and similar concepts,” he stated. However, he acknowledged “differences regarding priority issues.” For example, in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, locals expressed concerns about the minimal salaries of government employees, while in areas like Idlib and the outskirts of Damascus, which have suffered extensive destruction over nearly fourteen years of civil conflict, the emphasis was placed on reconstruction efforts.
The number of participants at the national conference remains undetermined, with estimates ranging from 400 to 1,000 attendees. Participants could encompass a wide array of society, including religious leaders, academics, artists, politicians, and civil society members, as well as some of the millions of Syrians who are currently displaced abroad. The committee has stated that the dialogue will reflect the diverse communities of Syria, but those affiliated with Assad’s government and armed factions, particularly those that refuse to disband and integrate into the national army—most notably the SDF—will not be welcomed.
Despite the SDF’s exclusion, al-Daghim affirmed that Syrian Kurds would be included in the conference. “Kurds are integral to the population and are co-founders of the Syrian state,” he explained. “They are Syrians, regardless of their location.”
