SYRIA PROGRAMME

To put an end to the seemingly intractable Syrian conflict – a war that has caused more than half a million casualties, displaced half the country’s population, and given rise to multiple threats to regional and global security – we believe that Syrians of all creeds and backgrounds must be given the opportunity and open space to come together and decide the future of their country.

The Syria Programme is aiming to promote dialogue and build consensus among key Syrian actors, helping them put forward actionable proposals for a Syrian-led political process to end the conflict. Launched in 2013, the Initiative has brought together hundreds of influential Syrians from a range of political, military, civil society, and professional backgrounds – including among the opposition, ‘independents’ and government loyalists – through a series of workshops that allow these parties to build relationships, establish mutual trust, and together elaborate elements of a sustainable political process and settlement, in support of international and UN-led efforts.

A series of thematic dialogues between these Syrians have developed detailed proposals and increasing consensus on a range of issues including: institutional and administrative reform, security sector and military reform, transitional justice, and constitutional reform. These discussions have also revisited the model for a Track I political process, developing recommendations for a revised format and timeframe that could give confidence to key Syrian and international parties (see “Draft Framework Paper” and “Working Paper on Syrian-Syrian Dialogue”.)

In July 2017, TSG established an “Arab-Kurdish Track” bringing together diverse representatives of Arab and Kurdish communities from north and northeast Syria for dialogues designed to build trust and generate consensus on proposals for more inclusive, legitimate and accountable governance in these areas, as part of efforts to prevent conflict and work toward reconciliation among local communities, while also considering how they may be integrated into a national-level political process.

TSG has acted throughout as an impartial and confidential mediator. Our goal has been to provide a neutral, protected space for a broad and representative spectrum of influential Syrian figures to develop proposals for a more viable and sustainable path toward a political settlement. While taking a bottom-up approach in this way, TSG equally seeks to ensure that these proposals reach and are given proper consideration by key international and regional decision-makers. To this end we have consistently engaged – and provided opportunities for Syrian participants to meet directly with – officials from the United States, Russia, key European and regional players, and the UN Office of the Special Envoy for Syria.

We are grateful for the support that the Syria Track II Dialogue Initiative has received from the governments of Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and from the European Union.