UN envoy disappointed with latest round of Syria constitution talks

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Fresh talks over drafting a new constitution for Syria ended on Friday with no progress, according to the United Nations envoy to Syria, who has said the past week has been a “disappointment.”

The 45-member Syria Constitutional Committee held its fifth round of talks in Geneva on Monday. The regime, opposition and civil society each have 15 delegates on the committee.

“I set out a few things I thought we should be able to achieve before we started this meeting. I am afraid we did not manage to achieve these things. I believe the reason for that is that there has not been a proper understanding on how we are going to make progress in the committee,” Geir Pedersen said during a Friday press conference.
 
“I told the 45 members of the drafting body that we can’t continue like this,” said Pedersen, adding that the last week has been a “disappointment.”

Proposals on working methods for the committee from both the opposition and Pedersen himself were rejected by regime representatives, he added.

“My summary today is that this week has shown such an approach is not working and we can’t continue to meet if we do not change this.” 

The committee was created in September 2019, and met several last times last year before talks were postponed due to COVID-19.
 
The Syrian crisis is entering its 11th year and the country is still unstable, suffering from an economic crisis and clashes between regime, opposition and Kurdish forces.