NNA - Parties in Syria’s semi-autonomous Kurdish administration condemned what they called the “token” representation of minority groups at a national dialogue conference underway Tuesday in Damascus.

In a joint statement, the 35 parties said: “Conferences with token representation... are meaningless, worthless, and will not contribute to finding real solutions to the country’s ongoing crisis.”

A “real national dialogue conference must be inclusive”, the statement added, saying the composition of the current initiatives “do not reflect the reality of the makeup of Syrian society.”

The conference, held at the capital’s presidential palace, aims to discuss the country’s future after Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, and marks the beginning of a crucial phase for Syria’s governance after years of civil war. -- AFP

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