The UN Security Council yesterday renewed its commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The council also emphasised that the solution to the crisis in the country must be achieved through peaceful means. “There can be no military solution,” it insisted. Furthermore, the Security Council welcomed the formation of the Constitutional Committee in Syria, which was launched by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on 23 September. “The Security Council determines that the launch of the Syrian-owned and Syrian-led Constitutional Committee should be the beginning of the political process to end the Syrian conflict in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015) that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians,” said a council presidential statement. The contribution to diplomacy by the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Grier Pedersen, was also recognised and praised. He secured the agreement of the Syrian government and opposition to form the Constitutional Committee. Following a meeting with Pedersen last month, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moualem said that such a committee must be free of “any foreign intervention”. The first meeting of the committee is set to take place in Geneva by 30 October; it is considered to be a key component in the peace process following eight years of civil war. The next round of the rival Astana process, headed by Russia, Iran and Turkey, is also scheduled to take place this month, but no date has been set.