17 March 2016•Update: 22 March 2016
ANKARA
The Syrian Coalition on Thursday declared their opposition to an effort by PYD to form a federation in the county’s north.
"The shape of the Syrian state, whether central or federal, cannot be determined unilaterally by a single faction, one segment of the people, a party or a movement," the coalition said in a written statement.
The group said that the shape of the Syrian state would be decided after negotiations led to the holding of a national conference which will be tasked with drafting a new constitution.
"The Syrian Coalition will not accept any project that falls outside this framework and it insists on maintaining Syria’s territorial integrity and the unity of its people," the coalition added.
The PYD already controls most of northern Syria -- along the border with Turkey -- and is preparing to declare a federal system, a PYD spokesman said, according to some media reports.
Ankara has repeatedly voiced its concern over the PYD's affiliation with the terrorist organization PKK and the sharing of logistical information and weaponry between them.
At Turkey's request, the PYD was not invited to the first Syria peace talks in January or the second round in March.
