Russia, Iran, Turkey back new Syrian committee

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Russia, Iran and Turkey, supporters of the main sides in Syria's complex civil war, on Tuesday failed to agree on the make-up of a United Nations (UN) sponsored Syrian Constitutional Committee but called for it to convene early next year to kick off a viable peace process.

In a joint statement read out by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the trio met UN Syria peace envoy Staffan de Mistura in Geneva, they said the new initiative should be guided "by a sense of compromise and constructive engagement."

But the statement made no mention of the composition of the panel, pointing to lingering disagreement over lists of candidates submitted by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his rebel adversaries.

De Mistura confirmed that he had held "intensive" consultations with the three. Addressing a separate news conference, he made clear the powers had not nailed down a workable political forum yet.

"I believe there is an extra mile to go in the marathon effort to ensure the necessary package for a credible, balanced and inclusive constitutional committee, and for including a balanced chairing arrangement and drafting body and voting threshold – to be established under UN auspices in Geneva," he said.

De Mistura, who will step down on December 31 after four years, has struggled since January to clinch a deal on the identity of 150 members of the committee.

The foreign ministers of the three nations had hoped to seal their joint proposal on a committee, which could usher in elections.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura attends a news conference after talks on forming a constitutional committee in Syria at the United Nations in Geneva, December 18, 2018. /VCG Photo

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said only that the three powers had made "important contributions" to the creation of the panel and that suggested names were assessed.

"The UN will of course carry out necessary work on the nominated names in the coming process," Cavusoglu said.

Lavrov said that the aim was for it to receive "the widest possible support" of Syrians, leading to "the launch of a viable and lasting Syrian-led, Syrian-owned and UN-facilitated political process."

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Tuesday: “We [have] always insisted on a political solution led and owned by Syrians. The West has now been compelled to accept this. But it needs to facilitate; not dictate."

Turkey supports rebels who control part of northwest Syria. A year ago, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said it was impossible for Syrian peacemaking efforts to continue with Assad. But Cavusoglu said on Sunday that Turkey and other nations would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic election.

The Damascus government has previously brushed off UN-led efforts to set up a constitutional committee.

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

(Top image: Foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and Iran meet to discuss setting up a committee to draft a new constitution as part of the talks on Syrian crisis at the United Nations in Geneva, December 18, 2018. /VCG Photo)

(With inputs from Reuters)