Syrian constitutional committee & other topics - Special Envoy for Syria briefs the Security Council

Briefing by H.E. Mr. Staffan de Mistura, Special Envoy for Syria, on the situation in the Middle East at the 8383rd meeting of the Security Council.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura welcomed the chance for the UN to talk directly with the Syria Government on the constitutional committee but also regretted that the establishment of the committee has not been possible as the Government had declined the UN’s offers.
Briefing the Security Council via video from Beirut today (26 Oct) on his recent meeting in Damascus with the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, the UN Special Envoy said that the foreign minister did not accept a role of the UN in general in identifying or selecting the middle “third list.”
De Mistura noted that he had indicated to the foreign minister that the UN could withdraw its proposal only once and only if there was an agreement on a new credible, balanced and inclusive list consistent with the Security Council resolution 2254 and the final Sochi statement.
He said “the UN is not opposed to constructive and moderate suggestions so long as we maintain the same spirit of credibility, I repeat credibility, balanced, international legitimacy of the middle third list on the table. And we have a sense of urgency to find common ground or at least clarify where we stand, because we should not miss the opportunity of the Idlib window.”