The previous round of Syrian peace talks was held in Geneva and finished on March 24. The round saw all delegations submit their settlement proposals to UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, who then produced a final paper with points of convergence between the parties.
Power transition in Syria will be the main issue on the agenda during the upcoming talks. Meanwhile, the Kurdish issue remains unresolved. Russia has insisted that the Syrian Kurds should be included in the negotiating process.
Last week, member of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party Dirayet Tasdemir visited Moscow. She participated in a series of meetings and conferences, speaking on the situation in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism.
"The main theme of my visit was the participation of women in combat actions in the Middle East. Kurdish women from Europe and Rojava [a Kurdish region in northern Syria] came to Moscow with me. We shared our experiences and told how Kurdish women fight Daesh militants," Tasdemir said.
She also praised Russia’s official position toward Kurds.
Russian officials want to establish bilateral relations with the Kurdish people and support its fight against terrorism, she noted.
"The struggle of the Kurdish people has significant influence on the politics in the Middle East. Regional powers have to make decisions, considering Kurds as an important player," the lawmaker added.
Deputy Secretary General of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Barham Salih said that the settlement in Syria should include the interests of the Syrian people, including the Kurds’ interests.
"Syrian Kurds expressed their views on the political future of Syria. Iraqi Kurds support the decision. No other country like Turkey should influence the choice of Syrian Kurds," Salih told Sputnik.
He underscored that Iraqi Kurds are interested in having good relations with Turkey, but the Kurdish problem cannot be solved with violence.
