Discreet talks on new Syria statute
US, Russia discussing draft of constitution away from public eye
A new Syrian constitution, authored in Damascus, was presented by Sergei Lavrov to his US counterpart John Kerry in late March
Anew round of talks has started in Switzerland this week between the Syrian government and the opposition, under the auspices of the United Nations and the watchful eye of Moscow and Washington.
As Syrian negotiators debate the political future of their country, US and Russian officials are discussing the form and shape of Syria’s new constitution.
While international reporters are busy covering the new round of Syrian talks in Geneva, side talks are under way in a nearby undisclosed location between envoys of presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin.
The two officials — Robert Malley and Alexander Lavrentiev — are poring over the text of a new Syrian constitution, authored discretely in Damascus and presented by Sergei Lavrov to his US counterpart John Kerry during the latter’s visit to Moscow in late March.
A floating amendment is restoring a clause from the constitution of 1950, which makes a presidential election happen only through a Chamber of Deputies rather than directly by the people as practised since 1971.
The constitutional draft keeps the presidential term at seven years and says that an incumbent can serve in office for two consecutive terms.
Anew round of talks have started in Switzerland this week between the Syrian Government and the opposition, under the auspices of the United Nations and the watchful eye of Moscow and Washington.
As Syrian negotiators debate the political future of their country, US and Russian officials are discussing the form and shape of Syria’s new constitution.
While international reporters are busy covering the new round of Syrian talks in Geneva, side talks are under way in a nearby undisclosed location in Switzerland, between envoys of presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin.
The two officials — Robert Malley and Alexander Lavren-tiev — are pouring over the text of a new Syrian Constitution, authored discretely in Damascus and presented by Sergei Lavrov to his US counterpart John Kerry during the latter’s visit to Moscow in late March.
Syrian negotiators on both sides of the spectrum believe that for the first time in five years, President Obama is serious about a Syrian breakthrough before his term ends next January.
Members of the Syrian Opposition complain that he is bending “dangerously” in favour of Putin’s vision for a solution on Syria — of course, that tilts in favour of President Bashar Al Assad.
Earlier, Kerry asserted from Moscow that the new Syrian constitution needs to see the light by next August — just before the US shuts down into “election mode”.
Emphasis on secularism
US and Russian officials are discussing a constitutional draft prepared by lawmakers in Damascus, with strong input from Moscow, which emphasises “secularism” of the Syrian state. This falls in line with the Syrian government’s self-portrayal as the secular protector of minorities, waging a war against Islamist fanatics, Al Qaida and Daesh.
A notable proposal for Syria’s new charter is scrapping Article 3 of the current Constitution, which says: “Islam is the religion of the President of the Republic.”
This article — criticised for decades by Syrian Christians — has been in place since 1920. Two attempts were made at scrapping it in 1950 and 1973 but both ended in vain.
Another notable floating amendment is restoring a clause from the constitution of 1950, where a Chamber of Deputies elects the president rather than the people, which has been in practice since 1971.
The current parliament, voted for earlier this week in Syria, is packed with pro-government figures who make up the lion’s share of its 250 seats.
If it is accepted, the constitutional amendment automatically prevents nearly five million Syrians living outside the country from voting in any upcoming presidential election, since according to law, Syrians in the diaspora are only entitled to vote in presidential elections, not parliamentary elections.
The constitutional draft keeps the presidential term at seven years and says that an incumbent can serve in office for two consecutive terms. If the Syrian Government gets its way, this means that Al Assad can run for two additional terms from whenever early elections are called for after the new constitution goes into effect next summer.
A notable proposal for new charter is scrapping Article 3 of the current Constitution, which says: “Islam is the religion of the President of the Republic.”