Kurdistan
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani meeting Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa for the first time in Turkey on April 11, 2025. Photo: Kurdistan Presidency
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa for the first time in Turkey on Friday and offered his “continued support.”
“I was pleased to meet with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Antalya. We discussed the situation in Syria where he shared his vision for a future Syria that embraces all its people. I commended his inclusive approach and assured him of our continued support,” Barzani said in a post on X.
The two met on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
“We also reaffirmed our shared commitment to the ongoing fight against ISIS. I was encouraged by President al-Sharaa’s dedication to regional peace and security,” Barzani added.
Sharaa was named interim president in January, a month after he led a coalition of rebel groups that toppled the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad. He vowed at the time to form an “inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity.”
He has, however, faced domestic and international criticism that he has marginalized minority communities.
In March, he approved a constitutional declaration that centers on Islamic jurisprudence and cements central authority. He also appointed a cabinet that includes four members of minority groups. Ethnic and religious groups claimed they were not consulted in the appointment process. The new cabinet also includes individuals blacklisted by the United Nations and the United States over alleged ties to extremist armed groups.
“I was pleased to meet with President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Antalya. We discussed the situation in Syria where he shared his vision for a future Syria that embraces all its people. I commended his inclusive approach and assured him of our continued support,” Barzani said in a post on X.
The two met on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
“We also reaffirmed our shared commitment to the ongoing fight against ISIS. I was encouraged by President al-Sharaa’s dedication to regional peace and security,” Barzani added.
Sharaa was named interim president in January, a month after he led a coalition of rebel groups that toppled the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad. He vowed at the time to form an “inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity.”
He has, however, faced domestic and international criticism that he has marginalized minority communities.
In March, he approved a constitutional declaration that centers on Islamic jurisprudence and cements central authority. He also appointed a cabinet that includes four members of minority groups. Ethnic and religious groups claimed they were not consulted in the appointment process. The new cabinet also includes individuals blacklisted by the United Nations and the United States over alleged ties to extremist armed groups.
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