UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th November, 2022) The United Nations hopes that the Syrian Constitutional Committee will reconvene in January, but it depends on whether an agreement will be reached regarding the venue amid Russia's objections to Geneva continuing to be the host, UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said on Tuesday.
"My hope is that it should be possible to convene in January but that depends on the will of Russia when it comes to the issue of venue," Pedersen told a UN Security Council meeting.
The meeting should take place in Geneva, he added.
In June, Russia suggested that a new venue should be chosen for meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, expressing concerns that Switzerland had lost its impartiality and neutral status. Moscow proposed Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Algiers, and Nur-Sultan as options.
Pedersen's remarks to the Security Council come amid increased tensions in Syria. Since November 20, Turkey has been conducting an air operation against militant bases of the People's Defense Units (YPG) and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) � groups outlawed in Turkey � in northern Syria and Iraq. The strikes follow a deadly bombing in Istanbul.
