UN: No new meeting yet on drafting new Syria constitution

U.N. special envoy for Syria told Security Council on Friday that he won’t convene ar session of a 45-member body that is supposed to draft a new constitution for Syria until government and opposition agree on an nda. Geir Pedersen, who is facilitating meetings of constitutional committee in Geneva, said he hopes to consult government in Damascus soon, as well as opposition.

A second week-long round of Syrian talks aimed at starting negotiations ended on v. 29 without agreement.

Pedersen said first meeting of 150-member constitutional committee ended successfully, but re are several lessons from second meeting with smaller drafting body.

“ constitutional committee is and will remain fragile,” he said, ding that any nda must comply with terms of reference and rules of procedure agreed to by both sides.

Pedersen said by video conference from Geneva that “ second round only underscored need for a broer and comprehensive political process.” Drafting a new constitution for Syria is a first step in what U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes will be a ro to peace.