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STORY: UN / SYRIA POLITICAL PROCESS
TRT: 01:25
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 25 JULY 2018, NEW YORK CITY
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
25 JULY 2018, NEW YORK CITY
2. Pan left, Skoog approaching stakeout
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Olof Skoog, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations:
“Members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the Syrian-led political process facilitated by the UN in line with resolution 2254. Members of the Security Council called on the Syrian parties to engage constructively, in good faith, and without preconditions with the Special Envoy regarding the constitutional committee. And the members of the Security Council emphasized again the need for safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access and full respect for international humanitarian law.”
4. Wide shot, Skoog at stakeout
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Olof Skoog, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations:
“Look, I think Staffan will have to respond to those questions himself, but I think – the way I understood it is – that he will now take the strong commitment of the Security Council with him to Sochi where this will next be discussed; and he will of course take the lead proactively in trying to get the constitutional committee going. There are still lists pending in terms of names, etc. for that, but I also think he came away with a strong sense that, apart from a full backing of his efforts, also that this needs to happen swiftly.”
6. Pan right, Skoog leaving stakeout
The United Nations Security Council reaffirmed its “strong commitment” to the Syrian-led political process facilitated by the UN and called on parties in the country to “engage constructively, in good faith, and without preconditions” with the UN Special Envoy regarding the constitutional committee.
The statement came after the Council heard a briefing today (25 Jul) by UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura ahead of the Astana meetings set to take place in the Russian city of Sochi next week.
Swedish ambassador Olof Skoog, whose country is currently presiding over the Council, told reporters that member of the Council reiterated their full support for de Mistura’s leadership to facilitate a viable, enduring political solution to the Syrian conflict. He added that members of the Security Council “emphasized again the need for safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access and full respect for international humanitarian law.”
Asked if there was a timeline for the formation of the constitutional committee, Skoog said his understanding is that de Mistura would now take the strong commitment of the Security Council with him to Sochi and would “take the lead proactively in trying to get the constitutional committee going.” He said lists were pending in terms of names of the members of the committee, but he believed de Mistura came away from today’s meeting “with a strong sense that, apart from a full backing of his efforts, also that this needs to happen swiftly.”
The Swedish ambassador said there was a notion out there that the UN General Assembly was an extremely useful timeline to have in forming the constitutional committee to show that there was now political momentum rather than the military logic which has prevailed thus far in the country.
