Syrian Negotiations Committee: regime obstructs our work
ISTANBUL, Turkey (North Press) – On Wednesday, president of the Syrian Negotiations Committee Anas al-Abdeh announced that he sent a letter to members of the Security Council stressing that the Damascus government delegation has been the obstructive party to the Committee’s work, and that the Security Council should assume its responsibility because “wasting time is not in Syrians’ best interests.”
“On Tuesday, we sent a letter to the presidency of the Security Council to be distributed to its 15 members just before holding its closed session over Syria,” al-Abdeh said in a statement published on his Facebook account.
The letter stressed, “The regime is the main obstructive party to the political path, and we called on the Security Council, which is the internationally responsible authority, to work on the implementation of UN Resolution 2254 and all its agendas,” he pointed out.
“The regime obstructions to the Committee’s work will make it hard to continue the path, as the resumption of the meetings requires a certain methodology and mechanism of work, specific period of time, and the regime’s commitment to the tasks and authorization of the committee and start the drafting,” he added.
He pointed out, “The regime and its allies received a clear answer from European Union Countries and others on Tuesday that there will be no legitimacy for upcoming elections…and no reconstruction before reaching a political solution.”
The European answer added, “The only path can be reached through implementing UN Resolution 2254 and all its agendas, while the regime should show its commitment and to seriously work within this framework.”
Missed opportunity
Al-Abdeh’s letter coincided with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen’s statements, in which he expressed his disappointment in the fifth round of the Constitutional Committee talks in January.
“I shared with the Council the assessment that I shared with the Committee members themselves, that session five of the Constitutional Committee was a missed opportunity and a disappointment,” Pedersen said.
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council held its closed session regarding the Syrian crisis, and a state of frustration prevailed over the results of Syrian Constitutional Committee.
The Damascus government was accused of exploiting the meetings to “delay any opportunity for real reconciliation,” according to the Estonia delegate to the United Nations and diplomatic sources.
“I discussed with the Council what we could do to be able to create a situation where we could change the current way the Committee is working,” Pedersen said.
“I need a credible engagement to ensure that if the Committee reconvenes, it will function properly, work expeditiously, and achieve some results and continued progress in lines with the Terms of Reference that we have already agreed upon,” he stressed.
“I also stressed to the Council the importance of not repeating what has been done to date and the importance of focusing on common constitutional language,” UN convoy said.
“Alongside the Constitutional Committee, and equally or perhaps even more importantly, I believe the current divides in the international community need to be bridged,” he added.
This comes as part of “an effort to define mutual and reciprocal steps, defined with realism and precision, that can create some trust and confidence and generate movement on the issues in resolution 2254,” according to Pedersen.
“When the Committee will meet again depends on the discussions I will have with the parties and with the two co-chairs, both on procedural questions, work plan, and hopefully of course also on substantive issues,” he confirmed.
He said, “I will continue my engagement with the government in Damascus and with the Syrian National Coalition – and of course with the two co-Chairs, and I hope to travel to Damascus also in the not too distant future.”
Coming progress
A source from the Syrian opposition, who preferred not to be named, believes that Pedersen’s speech has indicated that the political process in Syria would witness more developments in the coming days.
“Pedersen apparently wants to make a breakthrough in the Syrian political process, and it is evidenced in the standpoints of European countries in the Security Council,” the sources told North Press.
All European countries denounced “the regime position and held it the responsible for obstructing the Constitutional Committee’s sessions.”
The source pointed out that because the opposition delegation did not leave the committee, “now they are gaining the results that are shown through the European countries’ position and Pedersen’s reference to the regime, even if it is indirect, and to hold it responsible for foiling any progress in the Constitutional Committee and its agenda.”