Officials from Russia, Turkey, Iran to meet in Geneva

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura addresses a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sept. 4, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

In a new UN-led effort to move forward the process to end the Syrian conflict, senior officials from Russia, Turkey and Iran will meet in Geneva next week for constitution-related discussions, the UN special envoy on Syria said Tuesday.

The UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said at a press conference here that he will hold formal talks with representatives from the three countries on the establishment of a "Syrian-led and Syrian-owned" constitutional committee.

He described the effort as a curtain-raiser for a real peace process in Syria consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 as a "strong guideline" which includes many issues.

"The constitutional committee can be, and should be, now the entry point for what we call a credible political process, as the long as the constitutional committee is credible as well," said the UN negotiator.

De Mistura said his discussions with the senior Russian, Turkish and Iranian officials will take place on Sept. 10 and 11 for the new process, which he said is the best "roadmap we can see."

Those talks will be followed on Sept. 14 by further encounters with senior delegations from seven other states: Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Britain and the United States.

"There are some important options on how to help the Syrian side to organize the work of the constitutional committee."

"I am also engaging the European Union which is very keen in supporting our effort and the Arab League on the political process," said the UN envoy.

According to the UN envoy, the UN Security Council will also hold a discussion on Syria on Sept. 20.

"I cannot and will not at this stage forecast today how far we will be progressing on 10 and 11 September, but I do can state the following: it is going to be quite an important moment of truth," de Mistura said

His team is seeking the "buy-in" of the government and opposition in Syria and a wide-range of Syrian society, including women from the country, in the bid to restart the peace process.

He touched briefly on the current tension in northern Syria's Idlib region.

"We hope that nothing will be dramatically happening regarding Idlib. That is our hope and our wish," said de Mistura. "We still believe that the political process should not be the hostage of anything."