Representatives of Syrian Kurds Say Withdrawing From Intra-Syria Talks Round

The representatives of the Syrian Kurds in the opposition High Negotiations Committee in Geneva said Thursday in a statement seen by Sputnik they were terminating their participation in the fifth round of the ongoing talks as the Kurdish issue was being ignored.

GENEVA (Sputnik) — The statement, signed by three members of the delegation representing the Kurdish National Council, added that the members of the High Negotiations Committee has continuously ignored the Kurdish problem, and had thus called into question the credibility of the opposition committee.

"We refuse to ignore the policy of exclusion and we see the need for greater dialogue. We confirm that our participation in this round of talks is useless, and we announce the termination of our participation," the statement read.

The Kurdish representatives noted that they do not plan to adhere to the documents that will be drafted after their withdrawal from the negotiations.

Meawhile, Kurdish representative at the HNC delegation Abdul Hakim Bashar told Sputnik that the issue of the Kurds' future participation in the delegation for the intra-Syrian talks will be decided after the HNC holds a coordinational meeting in Riyadh in April.

"We are now waiting for the next meeting of the HNC in Riyadh in April to see what will be the future of our participation in the HNC … So far, we have frozen our participation in the HNC meetings," Bashar said.

On Sunday, Syrian Kurds at the Geneva talks reportedly put forward two options aimed at solving the Kurdish issue — territorial separation of the Kurdish autonomy from Syria or making Syria into a confederation.

The fifth round of intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva is due to end on March 31.