UN envoy says only Syrians entitled to make decision on constitution

Special Envoy of the United Nations for Syria Geir Pedersen says only the Syrian people are entitled to make a decision about their country's draft constitution and determine the fate of their country.

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, Pedersen added that the constitution belongs to the Syrian people and the United Nations would play a limited role to facilitate its work.

He emphasized that the committee in charge of discussing the constitution should focus its work on respecting Syria's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

"The committee’s work is based on basic principles that include respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria in accordance with the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions, especially Resolution No. 2254, in a way that contributes to finding a political solution to the crisis," Pedersen said.

The UN envoy noted that the committee's meetings would open next Wednesday with the participation of 150 members while the discussions would start next Friday and then there will be a small committee of 45 members.

Pedersen said that there will be no international attendance in the first meeting of the committee, adding that he, along with two of his assistants, is scheduled to represent the UN in the committee's meetings.

The UN envoy also announced that he plans to meet the Iranian, Turkish and Russian foreign ministers in Geneva on Tuesday, a day ahead of the first session of Syria's constitutional committee.

He added that he would hold talks with Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif, Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu and Russia's Sergei Lavrov in the Swiss city before the 150-member Syrian panel convenes under the UN auspices.

"We do believe that the fighting going on is just another proof of how important it is to get a serious political process under way that can help sorting out the problems in all of Syria, including the northeast and also Idlib," Pedersen told reporters.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced on September 23 the creation of a constitutional committee on Syria that could pave the way for a political solution to the country’s eight-year conflict.

SS