PYD Kurds not included in list of Syrian national dialogue congress delegates - Russian envoy Lavrentyev
ASTANA. Dec 22 (Interfax) - Kurds from the Democratic Union Party (PYD) have not been included in the list of participants in the Syrian national dialogue congress, expected to take place in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russian presidential envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev told Interfax.
"As far as Kurds from the Democratic Union Party are concerned, their participation is not envisaged at this point," he said.
The tentative list of congress participants includes "a very large number of" Kurds, he said.
"We sought to make sure that the Kurds are represented [at the Syrian national dialogue congress] as broadly as possible, but, at the same time, it does not cause any rejection on the part of Turkish colleagues," the Russian diplomat said.
When asked whether any Kurdish delegates could be removed from this list if Turkey and Iran disagree with their participation, Lavrentyev said: "I think that we will manage to agree on this issue."
The eighth round of the Syria talks began in the Kazakh capital Astana on Thursday. Its participants held bilateral and multilateral consultations. A plenary session is expected to be held on Friday. Among points on its agenda are negotiations on a possible date for the Syrian national dialogue congress in Sochi and its participants' list.