The delegation of the Syrian Negotiations Commission in the Constitutional Committee arrived at the United Nations Office in Geneva on Wednesday to work with the UN envoy Geir Pedersen on finding a formula of understanding on the agenda of the meeting. The Assad regime’s delegation is refusing to engage in the talks of the Constitutional Committee.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Co-chair of the Constitutional Committee Hadi al-Bahra said that the delegation of the Syrian Negotiations Commission had proposed an agenda for the second round of talks on November 21, “but the delegation of the tyrannical regime did not submit any paper as a proposal for the agenda and postponed it to the first day of the meeting.”
Al-Bahra pointed out that the delegation of the Syrian Negotiations Commission presented three alternative proposals. The first was a detailed proposal within the framework of the mandate of the Constitutional Committee. The second proposal included the basic principles, political principles, and the introduction of the Constitution, including the discussion of national fundamental principles but within the framework of the mandate of the Committee. The third proposal was limited to the agenda and focused on studying the principles, including all that can be included in the basic principles of any constitution drafted in any country in the world, including Syria, within the historical Syrian constitutional context.
Moreover, Al-Bahra pointed out that the Assad regime rejected all the three proposals and did not provide alternatives. He noted that the regime proposed a paper under the title ‘the national fundamental principles.’ He stressed that those principles cannot be determined by a regime that displaced half of the Syrian people as well as detained hundreds of thousands of young men, girls and women in Syria. He added that the fundamental national interests were mentioned in the previous Syrian constitutions and were approved by the Syrian people.
He pointed out that the Assad regime is seeking to waste time. “We do not have much time to waste. Our people in Syria are being killed. There is ongoing destruction. There are tragedies affecting our people and we must seek radical solutions to them.”
Al-Bahra also stressed that the delegation of the Syrian Negotiations Commission in the Constitutional Committee is ready to participate immediately in the meetings of the drafting body under a clear agenda and within the work of the Committee. “As you can see, we have stayed here so far while the delegation of the regime walked out and went to the hotel because it is not ready so sit for another hour and listen to our new proposals.” (Source: Syrian National Coalition’s Media Department)
