Syrian government rejects UN-led committee to alter constitution

DAMASCUS – Syria's government on Tuesday rejected efforts led by the United Nations to form a committee to rewrite Syria's constitution, the main result of a peace congress among Syrian groups in Russia last month.

"As a state, we are not bound by, nor have any relation with, any committee that is not Syrian formed, led and constituted," said Ayman Soussan, an assistant to the Syrian Foreign Minister, at a press conference in Damascus.

"We are not bound by anything that is formed by foreign sides, whatever their name or state, we are not bound by it and it is of no concern to us," he added.

Participants at the Sochi congress, a centerpiece of diplomatic efforts by Damascus' ally Russia to end the war, agreed on Jan. 30 to set up the constitutional committee in Geneva, and to hold democratic elections in Syria.