Matt Lee: How is that up to the Syrians to decide? 17 Mar 2016

John Kirby, State Department Spokesperson. U.S. Department of State - Daily Briefing: Full video: SYRIAN KURDS DECLARE NEW FEDERATION IN BID FOR RECOGNITION - 17 Mar - Syrian Kurds have declared a "Federation of Northern Syria" that unites three Kurdish majority areas into one entity, in an announcement swiftly denounced by the Syrian government, opposistion and regional powers. According to Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) official Idris Nassan, the plan will involve "areas of democratic self-administration" under the federal banner, encompassing all ethnic and religious groups living in the area. Read more: SYRIA PEACE TALKS STALL AMID DISPUTE OVER 'FEDERAL SYRIA' CALL - 16 Mar - The three-day-old Syrian peace talks have hit their first logjams, as disputes erupted over the composition of delegations to the talk