United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen on Monday urged for the upcoming initiation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee to be accompanied by other "confidence building measures," in particular, by the release of detainees and abducted persons
GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th October, 2019) United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen on Monday urged for the upcoming initiation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee to be accompanied by other "confidence building measures," in particular, by the release of detainees and abducted persons.The 150-member Constitutional Committee with equal representation of the Syrian government, opposition and civil society is expected to be launched on Wednesday.
Speaking at the press-conference in Geneva, Pedersen stressed that "we are very much aware of the fact that the Constitutional Committee alone cannot and will not resolve the Syrian conflict" and that "it will matter if it is launched and accompanied by other concrete steps and confidence building measures among the Syrians themselves and between Syria and the international community."
The UN envoy specifically emphasized the issue of detainees and missing persons brought about by the civil conflict in Syria.
"I have appealed from my first day when I took over this job that one issue, in particular, needs to be addressed and that is the issue of [abducted persons], detainees, and missing persons. Tens of thousands of Syrians remain detained, abducted or missing, and I have appealed, in particular, for the early release of women and children. I believe that if this could happen, it would send a very powerful signal that we are indeed very serious about making a new beginning for Syria," Pedersen said.
The resolution of the conflict in Syria, in its ninth year now, has been promoted within various mechanisms, including the so-called Astana talks under the mediation of Russia, Iran and Turkey which resulted in a landmark ceasefire agreement and establishment of four de-escalation zones. The initial agreement to form the Constitutional Committee was reached during the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in January 2018 in the Russian city of Sochi. The committee will be mandated with drafting a new constitution for Syria.
