Syrian war anniversary: UN Envoy presses for peace talks in Damascus

Report by Nicole Hajal, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As the Syrian war marks its 14th anniversary, the first visit of the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, to Damascus this year seems timely.

The central agenda item was convening the ninth round of the Constitutional Committee, aimed at facilitating peace efforts in Syria.

Pedersen initiated his visit with discussions with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, followed by meetings with the Russian and Iranian ambassadors in Damascus. He reiterated his proposal regarding the Constitutional Committee, emphasizing the necessity of continuing discussions in Geneva until a consensus is reached between the opposition and the government.

Pedersen's task appears daunting amidst the new complexities of the Syrian crisis.

Russia, a key player in Syrian affairs, opposes holding the ninth round of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva due to Switzerland's stance on Russia's war in Ukraine, instead demanding a neutral location for the meetings.

Will Damascus take a step that could embarrass Russia?

Notably, the official Syrian news agency, SANA, omitted mentioning the Constitutional Committee during its report on Pedersen's meeting with Mekdad.

Instead, it focused on the Syrian minister's emphasis on the United Nations' responsibility to address sovereignty violations in Syria, including Israeli airstrikes and the unauthorized presence of US and Turkish forces.

After years of diplomatic negotiations led by Pedersen, tangible results remain elusive, leaving the resolution of the Syrian crisis dependent on regional developments that seem to have surpassed the Constitutional Committee's mandate.