At the monthly meeting, the U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said preparations are being made to convene the third session of the Small Body of the Syrian-owned, Syrian-led, U.N.-facilitated Constitutional Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 24.
After a nine-month hiatus, caused by differences over the agenda until March this year and then by COVID-19 restrictions, the Constitutional Committee meets on the basis of an agreement between the government and the opposition that guides its work, he noted, affirming that he will make efforts to encourage all committee members to come to Geneva ready to engage in earnest on the substance amid millions of Syrians continuing to face immense suffering.
    |
 |
|
Participants in the UNSC videoconference on the political situation in Syria on August 19 |
According to Pedersen, the calm brought about by Russian and Turkish efforts in the country’s northwest continues to largely hold.
However, he also voiced concern over complex security developments in this region, including terrorist groups’ growing activities and hampering of joint Russian-Turkish patrols in Idlib. The worrying situation has also been seen in the northeast of Syria, where an improvised explosive device attack killed a Russian General in Deir-ez-Zor on August 18 and an altercation between Syrian Government and US forces was reported earlier this week.
Besides, the special envoy expressed concern over the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Syria as the number of infections is growing, already reaching 2,114.
Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN, underlined the need to ensure security to promote political solutions in line with the UNSC’s Resolution 2254.
He called on members of the Constitutional Committee to take part in negotiations with a goodwill and constructive spirit, considering the resumption of talks after a long hiatus as an important milestone to boost the comprehensive political process in Syria.
The diplomat also appealed to the international community to increase support for Syria, especially in the face of socio-economic challenges and severe impacts of COVID-19.
Instability and conflict in Syria are now in their tenth year, causing one of the most serious humanitarian crises in history with hundreds of thousands of casualties and millions made homeless and seeking refuge.
The Constitutional Committee was founded in September 2019 with a view to stepping up negotiations on the revision of Syria’s Constitution between the country’s government and the opposition on the basis of the political process outlined in the UNSC’s Resolution 2254.
Source: VNA