Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Says US Hindering Kurdish Resolution in Syria

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said the United States is uninterested in finding a resolution to the Kurdish issue in Syria and is preventing its Kurdish allies from engaging in negotiations with Damascus.
Bogdanov made these statements to reporters in the Kazakh capital on Tuesday, ahead of the twentieth round of talks in the "Astana format" focused on the Syrian crisis, according to Ria Novosti.

Bogdanov indicated that the US maintains an illegal presence in Syria under the pretext of combating terrorism, particularly in economically significant areas in eastern Euphrates that contain oil and valuable natural resources. He also highlighted the situation in southern Syria's Al-Tanf area.

The Russian diplomat pointed out that US forces support the "Kurdish Autonomous Administration," which opposes Syria's territorial integrity. "Of course, the Americans support a number of Kurdish organizations that have established a quasi-state with its own administration. This is totally unacceptable," he stated.

Furthermore, he expressed Russia's support for resolving the Kurds' issues through dialogue. Bogdanov criticized the US, stating, "But I think that the Americans, unfortunately, are not interested in that and do not allow their Kurdish allies to engage in dialogue with Damascus."