Russia, UN begin consultations on formation of Syrian constitutional committee

High-ranking Russian diplomats have begun consultations with United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on the formation of a Syrian constitutional committee. The Russian delegation in Geneva includes special presidential envoy for Syria Aleksandr Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, TASS reports. On Monday, the UN envoy is scheduled to hold a meeting with representatives of the three guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire - Russia, Iran and Turkey. The Syrian National Dialogue Congress, held in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 30, decided to establish a constitutional committee. The body will work on the country’s new constitution together with de Mistura.