Bogdanov expresses hope that Syrian Constitutional Committee to be formed soon
MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) - Moscow hopes for the prompt formation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, Russian Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.
"Work is being continued, contacts are continuing, and this issue has been discussed [at the Russian-Turkish-Iranian summit] in Sochi," Bogdanov told journalists on Wednesday.
Lists are being agreed upon, in particular, a list from the civil society, he said.
"According to the United Nations, the six candidates who had been initially listed should be replaced," the deputy foreign minister said.
"We hope this process will be completed as soon as possible," he said.
Ultimately, the formation of the Constitutional Committee "depends on the approval of the Syrian government and the opposition," Bogdanov said. "Both the government and the opposition should be comfortable with all 150 members of the Constitutional Committee," he said.
This applies to the members of the third group from the civil society, he said.
On February 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that some progress had been made in the formation of the Syrian Constitutional Committee and expressed hope that it would be completed soon, despite the attempts of certain countries to sabotage it.