The Constitutional Committee Concludes the First Day of the Eighth Session

The work of the first day of the Eighth Session of the meetings of the Constitutional Committee, was concluded on Monday evening. The three delegations discussed in two sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening, the principle of “unilateral coercive measures from a constitutional standpoint” which was presented by eight members of the civil society delegation.

This is the first principle of four principles to be discussed during this Session. Each party will present one of the constitutional principles whose titles have been agreed upon to be discussed over the course of one day, while the other parties will propose consensual language, recommendations and amendments on each principle.

With regard to the matters proposed on the first day, Tarek Al Kurdi, member of the constitution drafting committee of the Constitutional Committee, said that “eight members of the civil society delegation put forward the principle of (unilateral coercive measures from a constitutional standpoint) on four provisions. They addressed the international measures taken against the Syrian regime and they tried to link these actions to the return of refugees. Together with part of the civil society delegation, we made clear interventions to refute the proposed principle. We made it clear that it is a political issue in the first place, which should be discussed after reaching a political agreement and implementing UNSCR 2254 (2015), when the causes for imposing such actions and sanctions by other countries no longer exist.”

On linking this issue with the refugee issue, Al Kurdi said that “we elaborated on the importance and necessity of this issue, as it is deeply related to the life of millions of displaced Syrians. We clearly pointed out that this document must be given attention in several places of the future constitution, which should provide guarantees for refugees and all displaced persons, inside the country or abroad, for the safe and dignified return to their original homes and areas they were displaced from. “

Hasan Al Hariri, member of the constitution drafting committee of the Constitutional Committee, said that “there have been many discussions on this principle. Those who presented this principle have focused on the economic sanctions imposed on Syria by countries such as the United States, and Europe. The delegation representing the regime strongly supported this proposal. However, we clarified the concept of those measures and how the Security Council may impose sanctions on states and regimes that violate human rights or commit crimes against humanity, or that individual countries, at their own discretion, may impose sanctions on other countries, as their national laws and constitutions allow such actions in the event of violating human rights, as the case is in Syria.”

The agenda for the Eighth Session of the Constitutional Committee’s meetings include in the coming days discussions of the principles of “maintaining and strengthening State’s institutions”; “the supremacy of the Constitution and the position of international treaties”; and finally “transitional justice.” On the last day, the discussions and amendments made by the parties on the papers they proposed will be reviewed to reach a consensual language.