Representatives from Germany, France, Russia and Turkey recently met for a four-way summit in Istanbul to discuss the situation in Syria. Participants agreed that a constitutional committee for Syria should be formed by the end of the year.
Discussions focused on the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and ways to resolve the ongoing conflict in the country. A key point was the establishment of a constitutional committee to lay the groundwork for a political solution to the conflict.
The quadripartite summit called on the international community to support and encourage efforts toward a political solution to the conflict in Syria. Participants also stressed the importance of cooperation with the United Nations and other relevant organizations.
The formation of the constitutional committee by the end of the year is an important step toward peace in Syria. However, it remains to be seen whether this demand will be met and whether it will actually lead to a political solution to the conflict.
Syria needs a new constitution
The recent quadripartite summit conference on Syria in Istanbul called for a constitutional committee to draft a new constitution by the end of the year. Political leaders who attended the conference emphasized that this will be an important step toward finding a lasting solution to the horrors of the war in Syria.
The conference also provided for further discussions on establishing a full ceasefire in Syria and defusing the humanitarian crisis in the country. Conference participants stressed the importance of finding a political solution to the conflict, rather than relying on military solutions.
It remains to be seen how successful these efforts will be. In any case, however, it is clear that Syria needs a new constitution, one that is truly in line with the needs of the Syrian people and does not serve the interests of specific parties.
- The new constitution
- Should protect and respect the rights of all Syrian citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or political preferences.
- should ensure a clear division of power and responsibilities between the Syrian state and its regions and communities.
- Should include all necessary provisions to ensure the protection of human rights and civil liberties, including the rights of minorities and refugees, as well as women’s rights.
- should form the basis for an inclusive, democratic government that functions on the basis of elections and transparency.
Only when the Syrian people have a constitution that reflects their views and needs, and a government based on democratic principles, can they have a hopeful future.
The importance of the constitutional committee for peace in Syria
The constitutional committee plays a central role in the peace process in Syria. The four-way summit, organized by Russia, Turkey, Germany and France, has now called for the committee to be established by the end of the year.
The Constitutional Committee consists of representatives of the regime and the opposition and is to draft Syria’s new constitution. Such a constitution is an important step toward a political solution to the conflict in Syria.
- The constitutional committee’s challenges
- However, the constitution committee has many challenges to overcome in order to craft a constitution that is fair to all sides. It must take into account the interests of the government, the opposition as well as the Kurds.
- It is also important that the political process is supported and that there is disarmament of the militias. This is the only way to achieve stabilization and a long-term peace solution.
The international community has a responsibility to sustain the peace process in Syria and support the work of the constitutional committee.