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Astana peace conference on Syria: The guarantor states failed to achieve a UN-backed constitutional committee

SHAFAQNA – Despite positive comments by the Turkish, Russian, and Iranian delegations on the results of the Astana peace conference, the U.N. envoy to Syria said the latest talks to end the war are a missed opportunity.

Astana 11 final statement, pointed out to the importance of continuing efforts aimed at helping the Syrians regain their normal lives and end suffering, calling on the international community, especially the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, to increase aid to Syria, ensure the return of the displaced and to intensify efforts for solving the issue of abductees and the missing.

The guarantor states of the Astana process (Iran, Russia and Turkey) reiterated their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria and the continuation of the fight against terrorism, irna reported.

It condemned any use of chemical weapons in Syria and demanded a transparent and professional probe into any reports concerning this issue in a way that accords with the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Establish the constitutional committee as soon as possible

The three countries said in a joint statement issued after the talks that they would “intensify” consultations to establish the constitutional committee as soon as possible.

Moscow, Tehran and Ankara also said in the joint statement they were concerned with ceasefire violations in the Idlib demilitarized zone in northwest Syria and “would step up their efforts to ensure observance”, but stressed the need to continue to “fight against terrorism” there.

Different viewpoint on Astana peace conference

While, Russia’s Syria envoy Alexander Lavrentiev told that the Russian side views the outcome of the conference as positive, Reuters  reported that  Russia, Turkey and Iran failed to make any tangible progress in setting up a Syrian constitutional committee at a meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana.

“This was the last occasion of an Astana meeting in 2018 and has, sadly for the Syrian people, been a missed opportunity to accelerate the establishment of a credible, balanced and inclusive, Syrian-owned, Syrian-led, UN-facilitated constitutional committee.

Staffan de Mistura says he is disappointed with the failure of the latest Astana talks as the three nations couldn’t agree on the composition of a UN-backed constitutional committee, aljazeera told.

The guarantor states of the Astana process (Iran, Russia and Turkey) reiterated their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria and the continuation of the fight against terrorism , sana mentioned.

Committee was of upmost importance

The constitutional committee is viewed as a vital element in reaching a political settlement in the country. Speaking after the talks, Russia’s Syria negotiator Aleksandr Lavrentyev said the committee was of “upmost importance”. “I want to say that we are sufficiently close to our cherished goal,” he added, without giving any date, france24 mentioned.

According to de Mistura, there has been “no tangible progress in overcoming the 10-month stalemate on the composition of the constitutional committee.

The talks began with a 10-week-old Idlib truce deal hanging in the balance after an alleged chemical attack in the government-held city of Aleppo on Saturday triggered retaliatory raids. The guarantor states decided to hold the next high-level meeting on Syria next February 2019 in Astana.

 

Read more from Shafaqna:

Bashar al-Jaafari: “We are very keen on the success of Astana track”

Syrian constitution to become a key aspect at Astana Talks

Astana Peace Talks: Turning Point for Syria and World Politics? INTERVIEW

 

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