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Will Pedersen Abandon Geneva as Venue for Constitutional Committee in Favor of Muscat

Pedersen commended Egypt's considerable efforts toward resolving the Syrian crisis, according to al-Watan.
Will Pedersen Abandon Geneva as Venue for Constitutional Committee in Favor of Muscat

Reiterating the commitment of the Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee on Syria, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, emphasized the urgent need to fulfill the committee’s mission during their recent meeting in Cairo. The goal remains to find a comprehensive resolution to the Syrian crisis, ensuring the country’s unity and stability.

According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ahmed Abu Zeid, Shoukry had a discussion with Geir Pedersen, the UN Special Envoy to Syria, regarding the outcomes of the Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee meeting held in Cairo last week. Shoukry and Pedersen both emphasized the committee’s determination to fulfill their responsibilities in resolving the Syrian crisis from all angles while safeguarding Syria’s unity and stability.

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In light of the latest developments in Syria across various levels, Shoukry and Pedersen shared perspectives and insights. They agreed to arrange a bilateral meeting during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.

Pedersen commended Egypt’s considerable efforts toward resolving the Syrian crisis. He expressed his approval of the Arab Communication Committee’s meeting outcomes and his intention to cooperate closely with relevant parties to build upon the progress achieved in the last committee meeting.

Insiders within Arab diplomatic circles disclosed potential indications of cooperative efforts between a coalition of Arab nations and Syria to alleviate sanctions and the suffering of the Syrian people. Damascus communicated its current inability to proceed to Geneva for discussions due to the unavailability of one of the primary sponsors, Russia. Syria expressed willingness to consider an alternate location should a proposal arise. Despite this, Geir Pedersen remains steadfast in advocating for the talks to occur in Switzerland, yet he has not proposed any alternative venue.

Further inquiries from sources in the know indicated a unanimous Arab consensus to resume progress on the constitutional track. The plan involves convening the next meeting of the Constitutional Committee in Oman. However, this initiative has met resistance from Pedersen, who insists that the discussions must take place exclusively in Geneva. This impasse has temporarily stalled the constitutional pathway. The future activation of this process hinges on the stance taken by the UN Special Envoy.

 

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

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