Iraq News

UN envoy talks new constitution with Syria FM

Outgoing UN envoy Staffan de Mistura met with Syria's top diplomat in Damascus on Wednesday (October 24th), the UN and state media said, to try to make progress on a post-war constitution.

De Mistura announced last week he would step down at the end of November, but said he would first travel to the Syrian capital to seek the regime’s approval of a UN-backed constitutional committee, AFP reported.

He met with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, without making any apparent progress.

"We had a very frank and very intense exchange of opinions concerning the constitutional committee and the political process in general," de Mistura said.

De Mistura had hoped the committee to revise the constitution would be ready before the fall, but agreeing on its makeup has taken longer than expected.

The committee is expected to include 150 members: 50 chosen by Damascus, 50 by the opposition and the final 50 by de Mistura.

The UN envoy has said the Syrian regime is objecting to the UN's share, which includes civil society representatives, religious and tribal leaders, experts and women.

The regime also has insisted the body would simply "discuss" the current constitution while opposition groups seek deeper changes.

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