Syrian Constitution Committee set for a 2023 meeting in Oman

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Aug 2023 11:55

After months of strained efforts due to Switzerland taking issue with Russia, the Syrian Constitution Committee will hold a meeting by the end of 2023 in the Arab city of Muscat, in Oman.

A Syrian national flag waves as vehicles move slowly on a bridge during rush hour, in Damascus, Syria, on Feb. 28, 2016. (AP)

Russia favors Oman as the host of the next session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, which is anticipated to take place in Muscat by the end of 2023, according to a released statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.

The Syrian government is willing to accept the sultanate's offer, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated last week, confirming that the committee's upcoming meeting may be held there.

Shoukry said that "During the meeting of the contact group of the League of Arab States on Syria that was recently held in Cairo at the ministerial level with the participation of Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, a joint statement was adopted that set-out plans to organize another session of the drafting commission of the Constitutional Committee in Muscat by the end of the year."

Moreover, the Egyptian Foreign Minister "We support this choice given that Oman has a reputation of a respected and unbiased mediator, providing good offices to facilitate resolution of different sensitive regional issues."

After the Arab League sought peace with Syria resulting in Damascus' resumption of its role in the League following a decade of war, the Egyptian ministry stated that the summit should be held in an Arab country's capital.

The committee's previous meeting was held in the summer of 2022, with the present hiatus triggered by Switzerland's stance on the Ukraine war and logistical challenges, with respect to the participation of the Russian delegation in meetings in Geneva.

Syrian opposition urges return to direct negotiations with government

In June, the Syrian Opposition High Negotiations Committee's parties in Geneva reached a consensus on a united declaration. They evaluated the current global, regional, and Syrian developments, alongside heightened engagement in Syrian politics, as factors that have created the essential conditions for facilitating the recommencement of direct talks among all Syrian factions.

The Syrian opposition committee took its decision in accordance with the provisions of UN Resolution 2254 and as per a specified agenda and timetable, yet stressing that these negotiations should not be limited to the resumption of the Constitutional Committee's work.

The Syrian opposition welcomed the statement issued by several Arab foreign ministers in Amman on May 1, outlining the general principles of the Arab initiative for Syria, in which all sides are expected to reciprocate initiatives in goodwill.

The Syrian opposition also took note of the progress achieved in the Jeddah Declaration issued by Arab leaders on May 19, however, it criticized the lack of any reference to Resolution 2254.

The opposition statement further criticized the collective Arab decision to readmit Syria to the Arab League before ensuring the Syrian government's "commitment to international resolutions."

The Syrian opposition reiterated its call for holding the "perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity" accountable and urged relevant international organizations, particularly the United Nations, to take the necessary legal and regulatory measures to achieve justice.