Day Three of Constitutional Committee meetings Concludes its Activities

Geneva

On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, the Small Body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee concluded the work of the third day of the Seventh Session. During the two sessions of the day, the constitutional language on state symbols proposed by “the government nominees, according to the official name stated in the terms of reference and key elements of the Constitutional Committee’s bylaws,” were discussed. They listened to the observations and suggestions of the other parties and responded to them.

During the past three days, the three parties met and discussed the principle of basics of governance on the first day. SNC representatives presented their proposed constitutional language for the rules and foundations on which the basics of governance are based. On the second day, a group of civil society representatives submitted a proposed language for the constitutional principle of state identity.

The Co-Chair of the Constitutional Committee, Mr. Hadi Albahra, stated that “sessions of the third day proceeded as scheduled. Serious and sometimes heated discussions took place on the proposed constitutional language related to the principle of state symbols. We presented our vision and suggestions on that principle in several interventions made by our members in the Committee.”

“Throughout our work, meetings and discussions, we keep in mind the demands, aspirations and hopes of our people. What we do is a liability and responsibility; the successful completion of which will open a door to the genuine legal and political pathway to a political solution that aims at the full and strict implementation of UNSCR 2254 of 2015.” Albahra added.

He continued, “SNC representatives in the Constitutional Committee will present on Thursday, the fourth day of meetings of the Seventh Session, a proposal for the constitutional language pertaining to the principle of structure and functions of public authorities. We will maintain our positive attitude until the end of the meetings, while adhering to the constants without deviation, which alone can lead to the drafting of the awaited constitution for the future Syria.

Judge Hasan Obeid, a member of the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee, stated that the regime delegation had “presented its vision on the constitutional principle of state symbols. It was followed with discussions, then SNC representatives, as well as members of the civil society group, proposed ways to address the constitutional language of this principle. To overcome the deadlock on this point, building on the history of the Syrian constitutional context, SNC representatives proposed that the draft constitution stipulates that the symbols of the state be provided for in a law to be passed by the first elected parliament after the adoption of the new constitution, provided that Syrians inside Syria and abroad participate in free and fair elections under the supervision of the United Nations in accordance with UNSCR 2254.”

In addition, lawyer Mohamad Ahmad, member of the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee, said that “On the third day of the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee’s meetings, the regime delegation submitted their proposal for a constitutional language for the principle of state symbols, which included discussing the state’s name, official language, flag, the national currency, and the emblem. The delegations had heated discussions. The SNC delegation held on to the flag of independence, because it was the flag that the people raised in their peaceful revolution in March 2011 and it became a symbol for this revolution and its values, providing their rationale for holding on to it, while the regime delegation held on to the current flag. The discussion also addressed the name of the state, reviewing the historical constitutional context of Syria, whether the name should be the Syrian Republic as stated in the 1950 constitution, with a clear indication in the rest of the constitutional principles to its belonging to the Arab world, or the Syrian Arab Republic as it was called in the subsequent constitutions. There was almost an agreement among the three parties that Arabic should be the official language of state, taking into consideration ways to protect other national languages of components of the Syrian people and to guarantee their cultural and educational rights. To overcome the deadlock related to the constitutional principle related to state symbols, our delegation proposed the possibility of stipulating in the draft constitution to refer the matter to a law to be passed by the first elected parliament, in accordance with the new constitution, provided that Syrians inside Syria and abroad participate in free and fair elections in a safe and neutral environment under the supervision of the United Nations in accordance with UNSCR 2254 and the sequence of implementation provided for in article four thereof.”

Work of the Seventh Session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee will continue until the end of this week. A press conference to be held by the Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Geir O. Pedersen is scheduled to take place at the end of this Session.