The European Union welcomes today’s start of the sixth round of talks of the Syria Constitutional Committee in Geneva. We are encouraged by UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen’s announcement that the Committee will now finally start the drafting of Syria’s new Constitution.

The EU fully supports the efforts of UN Special Envoy Pedersen to make progress on all elements of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, and reaffirms that any sustainable solution to the conflict in Syria requires a genuine political transition in line with that resolution. The EU also emphasises the particular importance of meaningful progress on the question of detainees.

The EU is concerned about a recent increase in violence in Syria, and joins the UN Special Envoy in his call on all parties to adhere to the principle of protection of civilians and international humanitarian law, and to avoid escalation and restore calm.