constitutional panel finalized

A Syrian constitutional committee made up of opposition, civil society and government members has been finalized after almost two years of negotiations, the United Nations announced Monday.

The 150-member committee will rewrite the constitution. The long-awaited announcement came during a visit to Damascus by the U.N. envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, who held talks with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the "Syrian-owned and Syrian-led" constitutional committee will be facilitated by the United Nations in Geneva, and he thanked Russia, Turkey and Iran for their diplomatic efforts. Russia and Iran are allied with Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Turkey supports the Syrian opposition.

"We are optimistic, and we look forward to good work from this committee," said Mohammed Khair Akkam, a Syrian lawmaker and a member of the government's delegation to the talks.

The Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northern and eastern Syria issued a statement rejecting the constitutional committee, saying the Kurds had been sidelined in the process.

Nasr Hariri, the head of the High Negotiations Committee, said the first meeting could be held within a month. The committee will be made up of 50 opposition members, 50 representing the government, and 50 representing civil society. After eight years of conflict, the bulk of Syria has returned under government control, with various opposition groups holding parts of the northwest and U.S.-backed Kurdish groups holding the northeast.

Washington Post