Meetings of Syrian HNC kick off in Geneva in presence of Russia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
3 Jun 2023 14:35

The representatives of the Moscow platform are participating in these meetings for the first time since suspending their participation in 2019.

The High Negotiations Committee meeting in Geneva on October 30, 2019 (UN)

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the meetings of the High Negotiations Committee in Geneva, scheduled for two days, kicked off with the participation of 28 out of 36 members.

Our reporter noted that the HNC will meet on Sunday with delegations from the EU, US, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt.

He also mentioned that representatives of the Moscow platform are attending the current meetings for the first time since suspending their participation in 2019.

In July 2022, Geir Pedersen, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Syria, said the ninth round of meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva has been postponed.

At the time, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency attributed the postponement to remarks by Russia's presidential envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev.

“It has become difficult for Russian representatives to work in Geneva, the venue for meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee,” Lavrentiev said on June 16.

“The issue of choosing a new venue for meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee is not technical or logistical, but more political, given Switzerland’s hostile policy,” he said.

It is noteworthy that the meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva, which started operating in 2019, aim to prepare a new constitution for Syria, with the participation of the Syrian opposition parties and the government, paving the way for a political process that includes all Syrian factions.