UN mediator to head commission to draft new Syria constitution

United Nations Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura will head a new constitutional commission that will be set up at a peace conference in Russia this week, the Interfax news agency reported today, citing official documents. Russia is hosting a two-day Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi today and tomorrow which it hopes will launch talks on drafting a new constitution for Syria. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed preparations for the Syria peace congress with Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in a phone call on Saturday, the Russian foreign ministry said yesterday. On Friday, the Syrian opposition declared it would not attend the meeting. Original Source: