Qatar- Text: Joint communique issued after Vienna Syria talks
Date
10/31/2015 3:05:06 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) listen while UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (C) speaks during a press conference at the Grand Hotel October 30 2015 in Vienna Austria. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that they had agreed that Syria must emerge from civil war as a unified secular state. AFP PHOTO / POOL / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI
VIENNA: Following is the full text of a joint communique issued on Friday after ministerial talks on a political solution to the Syrian civil war as agreed by 17 countries the European Union and the United Nations.
TEXT
Meeting in Vienna on October 30 2015 China Egypt the EU France Germany Iran Iraq Italy Jordan Lebanon Oman Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Turkey United Arab Emirates the United Kingdom the United Nations and the United States ["the participants"] came together to discuss the grave situation in Syria and how to bring about an end to the violence as soon as possible.
The participants had a frank and constructive discussion covering major issues. While substantial differences remain among the participants they reached a mutual understanding on the following:
1. Syria's unity independence territorial integrity and secular character are fundamental.
2. State institutions will remain intact.
3. The rights of all Syrians regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination must be protected.
4. It is imperative to accelerate all diplomatic efforts to end the war.
5. Humanitarian access will be ensured throughout the territory of Syria and the participants will increase support for internally displaced persons refugees and their host countries.
6. Da'esh (Islamic State) and other terrorist groups as designated by the U.N. Security Council and further as agreed by the participants must be defeated.
7. Pursuant to the 2012 Geneva Communique and U.N. Security Council Resolution 2118 the participants invited the U.N. to convene representatives of the Government of Syria and the Syrian opposition for a political process leading to credible inclusive non-sectarian governance followed by a new constitution and elections. These elections must be administered under U.N. supervision to the satisfaction of the governance and to the highest international standards of transparency and accountability free and fair with all Syrians including the diaspora eligible to participate.
8. This political process will be Syrian led and Syrian owned and the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria.
9. The participants together with the United Nations will explore modalities for and implementation of a nationwide ceasefire to be initiated on a date certain and in parallel with this renewed political process.
The participants will spend the coming days working to narrow remaining areas of disagreement and build on areas of agreement. Ministers will reconvene within two weeks to continue these discussions.
Reuters