Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed “The success of Syria’s national dialogue conference in Sochi as a first step towards a settlement,”
“The most important point lies in our firm adherence to the basic principle of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which states that only the Syrians themselves will decide the fate of their country,” Lavrov said at a press conference on Tuesday evening, added “I think this is a first step and very important and succeeded in general. “
He added that “the conference took a decision to form a constitutional committee will include delegates selected at the conference, and will also include representatives of groups that were absent from the conference due to various reasons.”
“The formation of the constitutional committee will be referred to the United Nations in accordance with resolution 2254,” Lavrov said, noting, “Organizing the work of this new body, which will prepare the Syrian constitution, and will take place in Geneva.”
He expressed his country’s hope that “the Special Envoy Stephan de Mistura, to whom the Conference participants requested support for this structure, will organize his practical activities in accordance with his powers under resolution 2254” expecting “concrete ideas from him / de Mistura/ on this matter as soon as possible.”
Lavrov said that “Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed to help De Mistura in developing the results of the Syrian national dialogue at the United Nations, while confirming Moscow’s willingness to participate in peace negotiations on Syria at all levels.”
He stressed, “The absence of some groups of Syrian opposition from the Sochi conference is not a disaster,” describing the conference as “unique effectiveness.”
The participants in the Syrian dialogue conference in Sochi agreed to the final statement of the conference on Tuesday to form a constitutional committee of the government and the opposition for the purpose of drafting a constitutional reform.
The participants agreed to “build a strong and unified national army based on efficiency and exercises its duties in accordance with the Constitution and the highest standards to protect national borders and populations from external threats and terrorism.
The statement referred to the establishment of security and intelligence institutions that preserve national security, and should be subjected to the rule of law, operate in accordance with the Constitution and the law, respect human rights, and exercises power is an exclusive monopoly of the institutions of the State with jurisdiction.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency