SCC Opposition Сo-Сhair Says No Direct Contacts Held With Gov't Representative So Far
Hadi Bahra, the co-chair of the opposition group in the Syrian Constitutional Committee (SCC), told reporters on Friday that he had not held any private meetings, nor even exchanged any handshakes with the governmental group of the committee so far, but rather adhered to standard diplomatic procedures during the ongoing negotiations on the composition of Syria's future government
The committee concluded its first round of talks on Friday in Geneva. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, who is facilitating the negotiations, has described the talks as substantial, ranging from the separation of powers to the rule of law.
"This is the first meeting.
.. There was no handshaking, there were no private meetings, we met only in the meeting room when we conducted our sessions. Both of us were positively acting based on the rules of procedure," Bahra said, when asked during the press conference if there had been a handshake between him and the co-chair from the government side, Ahmad Kuzbari, since the constitutional committee was launched.
The 150-member committee was inaugurated in Geneva on October 30 and is tasked with rewriting the Syrian constitution as part of a broader peace process that aims to end the eight-year war. The body consists of three groups of nominees appointed by the Syrian government, the opposition and the United Nations.