US, Western Allies blame Syria for deferring the constitution before elections

 On Tuesday, The US and a few Western allies blamed the Syrian regime for intentionally postponing the drafting of a new constitution. Wasting time and avoiding the UN-directed voting as called for by the UN Security Council.

 German diplomat Christoph Heusgen described Assad's "deferring and impediment strategies" on the constitutional committee's work as "simply detestable." 

 Russia, being the most important ally of Syria ought to utilize its power by simply cutting its military aid and halting its support," he added. 

 Syria's strategies are clear, they wish to waste time till the presidential elections in 2021 happen. The regime should not be in any illusion as the elections won't be recognized in case they are held under the current conditions, Heusgen added. 

 The Trump government believes that Assad would like to "nullify the work" of UN special representative Geir Pedersen who has been attempting to speed up the constitution, and the committee's call for a political change. 

 To forestall the Bashar Assad regime from obstructing the agreement on the new constitution in 2020, US Deputy Ambassador Richard Mills asked the Security Council to "give it its best shot. 

 The Security Council resolution approved in December 2015 consistently supported a step towards harmony in Syria, which requires a Syrian-led political process beginning with the foundation of a transitional administrative body, trailed by the drafting of a new constitution and concluding with UN-administered elections. 

 At a Russian-facilitated Syrian peace meeting in January 2018, an understanding was reached to shape a 150-member board to draft a fresh constitution. Since September 2019, only three meetings were held.

 In Aug 2020, a weeklong dialogue in Geneva was centered on forming a new constitution for Syria, which concluded with consent to meet for additional discussions in near future. 

 The meetings were unexpectedly suspended as four board members were tested positive for coronavirus. 

 Pedersen said that the delegates were able to build confidence and trust in one another in the weeklong meeting. The date for the following meeting will be set once a concurrence on the plan has been reached. 

 On Tuesday, Ambassador Pedersen told the Security Council that he couldn't assemble the fourth conference in October as the administration wouldn't acknowledge a compromised agenda that the Opposition consented to.

 During his visit to Damascus, he said there was "some important narrowing of the differences" that could allow an agreement on plans for the following two conferences. 

 The French Envoy Nicolas De Riviere likewise scrutinized Assad's "refusal to take part in compliance with common decency" and called for arrangements to start for UN-managed elections that incorporate the diaspora. We won't be tricked by the regime's endeavors to legitimize itself," he added. 

 The constitutional committee is required so that a free, reasonable, and transparent election can take place in Syria. Moreover, this is the very reason we want the UN to quicken its planning to ensure that credible elections commence in Syria.”