ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Kurdish authorities of North and East Syria (Rojava) on Tuesday called the Syrian National Dialogue Conference “disappointing”, saying that it does not represent all Syrian components.

In a statement, the Rojava administration said that “all Syrians have been discussing and looking forward to the Syrian National Conference… However, these steps taken by the caretaker administration in Syria, regarding the issue of dialogue and partnership, were disappointing.”

"The committee that was formed to prepare for the conference does not represent the components of the Syrian people, even their statements were far from the language of dialogue and bringing viewpoints closer together,” the statement added.

The Syrian National Dialogue Conference ended on Tuesday, yielding “18 outcomes” for the future of Syria, “with the attendance of all spectrums and segments of society, and in an atmosphere of harmony and concern for the supreme national interests,” read a statement following the conclusion of the conference.

The US-backed Kurdish forces currently control the bulk of northeastern and eastern regions of Syria. Formed in 2015, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are considered the Kurdish de facto army in Rojava.

The Rojava authorities declared that the conference does not represent all Syrians, as they, as part of Syria, were not represented. 

Earlier on Tuesday, 35 parties in Rojava published a joint statement rejecting the outcomes of the conference, slamming the conference for the “token representation of minorities.”

Prior to that, the Kurdish National Council (KNC or ENKS) also criticized the conference, saying that invitations were extended selectively and individually, “far from criteria to ensure balanced representation.”

The two-day National Dialogue Conference is seen as a major step towards shaping the country’s future and governance after a civil war, which subsequently led to the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in early December.

Participants of the conference, estimated to be around 600, were set to hold workshops on the sidelines of the event and discuss transitional justice, human rights, freedom, the role of civil society, and the country’s economy.