The foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey have agreed to facilitate holding the first session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva. They issued a joint statement after a meeting in the Astana format on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.
"The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey as guarantor countries of the Astana format have held a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly," the statement said. "They agreed to facilitate holding the first session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva," the statement added.
The participants in the meeting welcomed the formation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee and reaffirmed their adherence to principles of respecting Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The foreign ministers of the "Astana trio" have also expressed readiness to support the Syrian Constitutional Committee "by consistently cooperating with the Syrian sides and UN special envoy for Syria."
"This decisive step will serve as the start of the viable and long-term political process, led and implemented by Syrians themselves with the support of the UN, in accordance with the decisions of the Congress of National Syrian Dialogue in Sochi and UN Security Council Resolution 2254," the statement concluded.
On September 23, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the formation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee.
