Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday called on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to expedite their integration into Syria’s interim government in Damascus, warning that negotiations between the two sides have reached an impasse.

Fidan emphasized the need for the SDF to "reach an agreement with the central government without wasting time" and take concrete steps to implement the March 10 deal brokered between the Kurdish-led force and Damascus. He also insisted that Turkey should be a "witness for security" in the process.

The March 10 agreement outlines the future of the SDF and the autonomous region it controls in northeast Syria (Rojava). While some provisions have been implemented, key issues—such as integrating the U.S.-backed SDF into Syrian state forces—remain unresolved.

Fidan reiterated Ankara’s demand for the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF, to lay down their arms. "It's unacceptable for armed structures to continue their existence in this country by using certain things as excuses," he said.

Turkey views the YPG as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which recently agreed to disarm as part of peace talks with Ankara in exchange for Kurdish political and cultural rights.

Despite multiple meetings between SDF chief Mazloum Abdi and Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kurdish-led force remains wary of Damascus. Farhad Shami, head of the SDF’s media center, dismissed the Syrian government’s demands as "unacceptable," stating that the SDF will not surrender its weapons or dissolve its structure.

"They ask us to surrender all our weapons and dissolve the SDF. In return, they will make us commanders and ministers. We have no ambition for such positions—we are struggling for the existence of our nation," Shami told Ronahi TV.

He cited recent massacres of Alawites and Druze by pro-government forces as proof that only armed resistance can protect Rojava’s people. The SDF has reportedly conveyed this stance to U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack.

The U.S. and France have been mediating between the SDF and Damascus to accelerate the March 10 agreement’s implementation. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed that Paris will host the next round of talks and reiterated France’s support for Syrian Kurds.

Meanwhile, a senior Syrian official told al-Ikhbariya TV that Damascus "will not accept the SDF retaining their weapons," further complicating negotiations.

Kurdish leaders have expressed concerns over the centralization of power and the prominence of Islamic law in Syria’s transitional constitution. They deny accusations of separatism, instead advocating for decentralization, as emphasized in a Kurdish national conference earlier this year.