Syran Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Tuesday (September 25th) said the creation of a UN-backed constitution-writing committee for Syria does not mean the country is ending its military operations, AFP reported.

The UN on Monday announced the long-awaited formation of the committee, but it remained to be seen if the step could finally end the war.

The committee is to include 150 members -- a third picked by the regime, an equal number by the opposition, and the remaining third by the UN.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has hailed the committee as the first step towards finding a political settlement to the conflict.

But Muallem insisted that the formation of the committee "does not go against the military option" or prevent the continuation of "work done on the ground".

"We are determined to free up every inch of our land," he told a pro-regime TV channel Tuesday, adding that the "war will continue".

"We will accept no foreign intervention in the drawing-up of our constitution," he said.

The committee is due to meet for the first time in Geneva on October 30th.