Things to catch up as Russia-brokered Syria talks ends

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A Syrian peace conference hosted by Russia ended on Tuesday with a statement calling for constitutional committee to rewrite the Syrian constitution.

The two-day Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi concluded with a declaration, which the participants agreed to form a constitutional committee composed of representatives of the Syrian government, the opposition and independents.

The participants also agreed to call for democratic elections.

The statement said Syrians must decide their future through elections. Syrians had the “exclusive right” to pick their political system free of foreign intervention, it added.

It also urged the preservation of security forces without calling for their reform.

The Sochi peace talks are seen as an attempt brokered by Russia, Iran and Turkey to sideline the United Nations-brokered Geneva talks.

Participants attend a session of the Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Jan. 30, 2018. /Reuters Photo

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The event was also boycotted by the leadership of the Syria opposition who believes it is in Assad's favor.

'A reality in Geneva'

In the final declaration, the participants agreed to form a constitutional committee composed of representatives of the Syrian government, the opposition and independents, to draft a new constitution in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The UN special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura was upbeat about the result and said the outcome will be a contribution to the UN-led Geneva process for Syria.

Speaking after the meeting, de Mistura said the constitutional committee with about 50 members will "become a reality in Geneva."

"The UN-led Geneva process will agree on the proposals the special envoy will make on the mandate, terms of reference, powers, rule of procedure and selection criteria for the composition of the constitutional committee in Geneva," he told reporters.

Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks at the Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Jan. 30, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov helped open the Sochi conference on Tuesday by reading out a statement from President Vladimir Putin, saying the conditions were ripe for Syria to turn “a tragic page” in its history.

Some delegates stood up and began heckling him, accusing Moscow of killing civilians in Syria with its air strikes.

But other delegates shouted out their support for Russia.

Flag Row

One group of delegates, which included members of the armed opposition who had flown in from Turkey, refused to leave Sochi airport until Syrian government flags and emblems – which they said were offensive – had been removed.

Ahmed Tomah, the head of the delegation, said his group had boycotted the congress and would fly back to Turkey because of the flag row and what he called broken promises to end the bombardment of civilians.

Russia Foreign Ministry said they are aware of the complications, as some opposition delegates made their participation dependent on additional demands.

Turkish and Iranian government delegations also attended the congress.

China in post-war reconstruction

The head of the Chinese delegation, who also attended the meeting, welcomed the declaration.

China's special envoy to Syria Xie Xiaoyan said dialogue and political solution are the only ways to end conflicts in Syria, urging all parties to hold on to ceasefire agreements.

"China is ready to participate in the post-war reconstruction of Syria. We will continue our assistant in keeping with our potential," the Chinese envoy said in Sochi.

Despite the defeat of ISIL militants, Xie said terrorism still poses threat to Syria and the region and he called on the international society to continue to fight terrorism.

China has been providing humanitarian aid to Syria since 2011.

A man is seen near the remains of a rocket in Douma, Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, Jan. 22, 2018. /Reuters Photo‍

In the first half of 2017, the Chinese government signed three agreements with the Syrian government to provide humanitarian aid to Syria worth over 40 million US dollars.

In May alone, China donated 1 million US dollars in emergency fund to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to support its humanitarian relief work in Syria, including providing clean water, food, temporary sheltering and medical treatment for displaced Syrian refugees.

Xie said the Chinese government is maintaining contacts with both the Syrian government and the opposition in facilitating the resolution of the conflict. The conflict can only be resolved through talks, he stressed.

Xie also applauded Russia's efforts in promoting a dialogue between the parties and ending the bloodshed in Syria.

Beijing and Moscow have said the two countries have the same stance on the Syria settlement and Beijing supports Moscow-led Syria peace talks.