Chinese envoy urges establishment of Syrian constitutional committee

World
Europe

Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said Thursday that efforts must be made to form a Syrian constitutional committee to prevent the resurgence of terrorist organizations from undermining the hard-won security situation in Syria.

Syrian constitutional committee

The United Nations (UN) should strengthen coordination with the Syrian government, promote the expeditious formation of a representative Syrian constitutional committee acceptable to all, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, at a Security Council meeting on the political situation in Syria.

The committee will accommodate the legitimate concerns of the Syrian government and all other parties with a view to launching a sustained and effective Syrian political process, Wu said.

Russia, Turkey, and Iran hold trilateral summit on Syria on February 14, 2019 in Sochi, Russia. /VCG photo

UN envoy says seeking 'door-opener' for Syria peace

The formation of the constitutional committee was agreed upon during inter-Syrian talks, brokered by Russia, Iran and Turkey, in Russia's Sochi in January last year.

The UN-backed constitutional committee plans to include 50 members chosen by Damascus, 50 by the opposition and 50 by the United Nations and is expected to pave the way for elections aimed at turning the page on seven years of war.

Women and children flee from the Baghouz area in the eastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor during an operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to expel ISIL from the region on February 12, 2019. /VCG photo

The foreign ministers of the three guarantors of the Astana process handed a committee member list to then UN Envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura in December 2018. However, the parties failed to agree on committee members.

Prevent resurgence of terror

"The international community should strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, harmonize standards, crack down on all terrorist groups listed by the Security Council and prevent the resurgence of terrorist organizations from undermining the hard-won security situation," Wu said.

U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces declare the launch of the final push to eliminate ISIL from eastern Syria. on March 1, 2019. /VCG photo

China welcomes the fact that leaders from Russia, Turkey and Iran met in Sochi on February 14 to discuss the Syrian issue and made a joint statement, reaffirming the continued effort to crack down on the terrorist groups and individuals listed by the Security Council and their commitment to the Syrian political process, said the Chinese envoy.

"China is consistently committed to a political solution in Syria," Wu stressed, adding that "we stand ready to enhance communication and coordination with the UN and all other relevant parties, and play an active and constructive role in advancing the political settlement in Syria."

(With input from agencies)