KURDISH leaders in northern Syria issued an appeal for talks with Damascus today indicating a dramatic U-turn from its previous pivot toward the United States.

Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chair Aldar Khalil said talks should take place in the Syrian capital however, without the need to travel to Geneva.

“What is wrong with us sitting and deliberating as Syrians and proposing possible solutions to reach a formula…to all issues in Syria,” he said in an interview with Rojava TV.

The party, which dominates the Autonomous Administration of North East Syria (AANES) as the Rojava government is formally known, insists that the system operated under its control could be applied to the whole of Syria.

Mr Khalil’s pronouncement comes days after Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) second-in-command Cemil Bayik pressed the case for Syrian unity, saying that the future for Kurds lay with Damascus.

In an interview with the al-Nahar newspaper last week he said the Syrian government’s demand for all occupying forces to leave the country was “legitimate.”

And he welcomed President Bashar al-Assad’s plans for decentralisation announced in April, saying it “opened the door to reconciliation.”

It was viewed by many as an attempt to distance the PKK from the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria and its strategy of seeking recognition from the US and other imperialist powers.

But a tour by Syrian Democratic Council co-chair Ilham Ahmed received a lukewarm response, with little in terms of concrete results for the Kurdish administration.

The strategy was criticised by a number of sources close to the movement who feared that what was initially badged as a short-term military alliance to defeat Isis was developing into a longer-term political alliance.

Ms Ahmed came under fire earlier this year for comments made at a virtual meeting of the US-based Newlines Institute – a CIA cut-out supporting US regime change operations across the world – in which she called for the US to maintain its presence in northern Syria.

Kurdish officials have previously stated their desire for talks with Damascus, insisting dialogue has stalled on a number of key issues.

Today’s about-turn comes as Kurdish forces fear an imminent invasion by Turkey which has amassed hundreds of military vehicles and hardware in areas under its occupation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met US President Joe Biden at the G20 in Rome on Sunday amid fears he was seeking the green light for a new offensive.

Last week Damascus mobilised Syrian Arab Army units to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-held Tel Rifaat in anticipation of an attack by Ankara’s forces.

T-90 battle tanks and BMP-2 infantry vehicles bearing the Syrian flag were positioned in south-eastern Aleppo as part of defensive build-up.