FRI 6 - 12 - 2024
 
Date: Aug 29, 2020
Source: The Daily Star

Folder: Constitution
Syrian talks to resume despite virus cases: UN
Agence France Presse
GENEVA: UN-backed talks on a new constitution for Syria were to resume in Geneva Thursday after Swiss health authorities gave the green light despite four delegates testing positive for Covid-19.

The discussions, aimed at rewriting the war-torn country's constitution, were put on hold almost as soon as they started on Monday when the test results came through.

UN envoy Geir Pedersen, who is moderating the the tentative talks between representatives of President Bashar al-Assad's government, the opposition and civil society, has voiced hope they could help pave the way towards a broader political process.

His office said in a statement that "following additional testing and further medical and expert advice regarding four earlier positive tests for Covid-19", Swiss authorities had determined the meeting could go ahead.

The talks would resume at 2:00 pm "with full social distancing and related precautions in place", it said.

Before they began Monday, the discussions were set to last all week.

The committee members -- 15 each from the government, the opposition and from civil society -- were tested for the new coronavirus before they traveled to Geneva, and were tested again on arrival in the Swiss city.

The positive second tests were found among delegates who arrived from Damascus, opposition negotiations leader Hadi al-Bahra told a virtual press briefing Tuesday.

One opposition delegate, one from civil society and two representing the government tested positive, he said.

Bahra said the meeting began in a upbeat mood late Monday morning, before being called off at lunch.

"This new constitution has to live up to the aspirations of the Syrian people for democracy, for equal citizenship, to guarantee their rights, and to make them equal in the eyes of the law in their duties and in their rights," he said.

The Constitutional Committee was created in September last year and first convened a month later.

A second round of talks, planned for late November, never got going after disagreement on the agenda.

Since then they have been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The United Nations has been striving for more than nine years to nurture a political resolution to Syria's civil war, which has killed more than 380,000 people and displaced more than 11 million.


 
Readers Comments (0)
Add your comment

Enter the security code below*

 Can't read this? Try Another.
 
Related News
Syrian army says Israel attacks areas around southern Damascus
Biden says US airstrikes in Syria told Iran: 'Be careful'
Israel and Syria swap prisoners in Russia-mediated deal
Israeli strikes in Syria kill 8 pro-Iran fighters
US to provide additional $720 million for Syria crisis response
Related Articles
Assad losing battle for food security
Seeking justice for Assad’s victims
Betrayal of Kurds sickens U.S. soldiers
Trump on Syria: Knowledge-free foreign policy
Betrayal of Kurds sickens U.S. soldiers
Copyright 2024 . All rights reserved