Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that the progress of the Constitutional Committee is now halted due to Geneva’s diminishing reputation as a neutral mediator, following its stance on the Ukrainian conflict.
Speaking at the thirteenth Middle East conference of the Valdai International Club on Tuesday, Lavrov stated, as reported by the Russian agency Sputnik, that Switzerland’s departure from its traditionally neutral position and its adoption of an anti-Russian policy led to the suspension of the Syrian Constitutional Committee’s work in Geneva.
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Lavrov emphasized that Moscow can no longer regard Switzerland as a neutral platform, given its overtly anti-Russian stance. He highlighted that Switzerland’s recently approved foreign policy concept explicitly aims to bolster European security not in cooperation with Russia, but rather in opposition to it, as outlined in an official document. This, Lavrov argued, raises doubts about Switzerland’s suitability as a mediator.
Switzerland aligned itself with European nations imposing sanctions on Russia starting from February 24, 2022, in response to the conflict in Ukraine. This alignment resulted in the suspension of the Constitutional Committee’s proceedings, including the cancellation of its ninth session scheduled for July 25, 2022.
Alexander Lavrentiev, the Russian president’s special envoy for Syrian settlement, suggested in January that the meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee might resume in March or April, with the venue to be determined shortly.
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.
