Syrian government’s demand reflects political dilemma, opposition
ISTANBUL, Turkey (North Press) – On Tuesday, sources of the Syrian opposition said, the Syrian government’s call on the UN special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, to not set a timetable for the works of the Constitutional Committee, comes to impose ptohibitive conditions, according to the Russian vision of the political solution.
A source of the Syrian opposition told North Press that Mekdad’s call is “a call to stop the UN’s interference in the Syrian issue and to leave the opposition in the hands of the Syrian regime.”
Another opposition source believed that Mekdad’s demands “reflect the Syrian regime’s political dilemma.”
Therefore the Syrian government imposes illogical demands which mainly aim to pass the presidential elections in the middle 2021, according to the source.
“The regime does not want the Committee to set a timetable in order to be able to maneuver in accordance with its available possibilities, and also the nature of the US dealing with Iran to be clarified,” the source added.
“If the American position was positive for Iran’s benefits, ‘the regime’ could launch military operations to shuffle the cards,” the source indicated.
However, with the Syrian current situation and the economic crisis it suffers from, it [Syrian government] “cannot move outside of what is drawn up by Russia.”
On Monday, the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Faisal Mekdad, called on Pedersen to not set a timetable for the Constitutional Committee’s discussions.
The pro-government newspaper Al-Watan reported that both sides stressed the non-interference of external forces in the affairs of the Constitutional Committee’s discussions and not setting any timetables for its work imposed by the outside.
It added that Mekdad called on Pedersen to be neutral.
Al-Watan quoted diplomatic sources saying, “a team of Pedersen’s advisors is constantly pressing him to accuse Syria of obstructing these talks.”
The newspaper indicated that Pedersen was threatened “of ending the diplomatic path of Geneva which led to the failure to set a date for the sixth round.”
On his arrival in Damascus on February 21, Pedersen said, “There are many issues I hope we can talk about, especially the living conditions in the country.”