Turkey expresses support ahead of key peace talks on Syria

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has expressed Turkey’s support and the importance it attaches to the political process to end the decade-old conflict in Syria on the eve of the third round of talks of the intra-Syrian constitutional committee.

“We met with President Alabdah Anas of Syrian Negotiation Commission before the third round of Constitutional Committee and congratulated him for his election as president. Emphasized importance and support given to the political process initiated by Turkey’s endeavors as well,” Çavuşoğlu said on Twitter after the meeting with Anas on Aug. 20 in the Turkish capital.

The third round of the Constitutional Committee will be launched on Aug. 24 in Geneva, Switzerland under the auspices of the U.N. in line with the Security Council resolution 2254. U.N. special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen will coordinate the peace talks while relevant countries will also be present.

The 150-member committee equally represents the regime, the opposition and the civil society. Each group picks 15 members to create a 45-member team tasked to re-write the Syrian constitution.

Çavuşoğlu also met with Naser al-Hariri, the president of the Syrian National Coalition, which is the legitimate representative of the Syrian opposition.

“Discussed efforts for a political solution to Syrian conflict and developments on the ground. Reiterated Turkey’s support to legitimate opposition,” he said on Twitter.