UK special representative for Syria said that the future of the draft Syrian constitution prepared by Russia should be decided by the Syrians themselves in the framework of the UN-led talks in Geneva.

The future of the draft Syrian constitution prepared by Russia should be decided by the Syrians themselves in the framework of the UN-led talks in Geneva, Gareth Bayley, the UK special representative for Syria, told reporters in an interview.

“I read it very carefully… and we all have in the government. What to do with that document is a matter for Syrians to decide in the context of the UN-led talks… [It is] for the UN talks to decide what to do with it, how it might be involved in the process,” Bayley said.

He stressed that it should be up to the Syrians “to decide on documents like this.”

The Syrian draft constitution, prepared by Russian experts, was presented to the parties to the Syrian conflict during the negotiations in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana on January 23-24. The head of the Russian delegation, Alexander Lavrentyev, stressed that the Russian side was not interfering in consideration of the constitution and presented the draft to accelerate the process of Syrian crisis settlement.

The details of the Russian draft of Syria’s constitution, obtained by reporters, suggested, in particular, removing “Arab” from “Syrian Arab Republic,” expansion of parliament’s power, as well as the removal of the army from political life.

The previous round of intra-Syrian talks under the auspices of the United Nations was held in Geneva on April 13-27, 2016. The next session of the UN-mediated talks is scheduled for February 20.