Date: Oct 30, 2019 Source: The Daily Star Syria constitutional panel launched amid scepticism Reuters GENEVA: Syria's Constitutional Committee, composed of government and opposition members, met for the first time Wednesday in the first step on what the United Nations says will be a long road to political reconciliation. But experts seriously question whether the Assad government would be willing to give away much at the negotiating table after consolidating its military control on the ground. The 150-member body held an opening ceremony in a gilded hall of the U.N. European headquarters in Geneva, convened by U.N. Special Envoy Geir Pedersen with the backing of major powers. "This is a historic moment," he told the gathering.