Foreign relations of Rojava
The foreign relations of Rojava are the external relations of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The AANES, consisting of three regions (Afrin, Euphrates and Jazira), was formed in early 2014 in the context of the Syrian Civil War, a conflict that has caused the involvement of many different countries and international organizations in the area.
The Constitution of North and East Syria, which defines the autonomous region as an integral part of Syria and not a separate country, states that "the Autonomous Regions shall not interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, and it shall safeguard its relations with neighboring states, resolving any conflicts peacefully." It also mandates, among other executive council bodies, a Body of Foreign Relations.[1]
– The US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) collaborates closely and comprehensively with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).[19][20]
CJTF–OIR
European Union – In July 2016, the European Parliament drew much political attention with a photo exhibition dedicated to the autonomous region.[21][22] In September 2016, Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chairperson Salih Muslim was invited to address the European Parliament.[23]
United Nations – While the administration of the autonomous region is not invited to the Geneva III peace talks on Syria,[24] or any of the earlier talks, Russia, which calls for their inclusion, does to some degree carry their positions into the talks, as documented in Russia's May 2016 draft for a new constitution for Syria.[25] On 6 June 2016, the PYD said that the United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura sent a detailed letter to the PYD leadership with an invitation to the next round of talks.[26] The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) co-operates refugee camps for inbound Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the autonomous region, most notably the camp in Al-Hawl.[27]
