UN: Guterres announces establishment of Syrian constitutional committee

W/S UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arriving at podium, New York City
SOT, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General: "I'm pleased to announce the agreement of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Syrian Negotiations Commission for a credible, balanced and inclusive Constitutional Committee that will be facilitated by the United Nations in Geneva. I welcome the progress made by the government and the opposition and my special envoy facilitating the agreement in accordance with security council resolution 2254 of two hundred and fifteen [2015] and will convene the constitutional committee in the coming weeks. I strongly believe that the launch of the Syrian-owned and Syrian-led constitutional committee can and must be the beginning of the political path out of the tragedy towards a solution in line with resolution 2254, that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians and is based on a strong commitment to the country's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity."
W/S Hallway *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General: "The constitutional committee's launch and work must be accompanied by concrete actions to build trust and confidence. As my special envoy discharges his mandate to facilitate the broader political process forwards. I appreciate the diplomatic engagement of the governments of Russia, Turkey and Iran in supporting the conclusion of the agreement. I'm also grateful for the support from the members of the security council and the members of the small group. I'm thankful for the contributions my special envoy has received, from a wide cross section of Syrian society women and men. My special envoy will continue to consult extensively in the discharge of his mandate."
SCRIPT
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the formation of a Syrian constitutional committee at the United Nations in New York City on Monday.
"I'm pleased to announce the agreement of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Syrian Negotiations Commission for a credible, balanced and inclusive Constitutional Committee that will be facilitated by the United Nations in Geneva," Guterres announced.
The committee aims to bring all sides of the Syrian conflict together to reach an agreement on redrawing the nation's constitution. It will be formed of one hundred and fifty representatives chosen by President Bashar al-Assad's government, the Syrian opposition and the United Nations equally.
"I strongly believe that the launch of the Syrian-owned and Syrian-led constitutional committee can and must be the beginning of the political path out of the tragedy, " he added.
The announcement comes ahead of the first day of general debate as part of the 74th UN General Assembly (UNGA) which will take place on 24 September.
Source: UNIFEED-UNTV