WASHINGTON, August 16. /TASS/. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura met on Wednesday to discuss the return of refugees to Syria as well as the need "to prevent a humanitarian crisis from emerging in Idlib." That is according to a statement by the US State Department press service, which was released after their meeting in Washington.
In particular, Pompeo "made clear that while the United States supports the return of refugees to Syria, it must only occur when the environment in Syria is sufficiently safe and secure and with the involvement of relevant UN agencies."
According to the statement, Pompeo and de Mistura "agreed that all parties needed to move ahead on the political track and that any discussion of reconstruction was premature absent a political solution leading unalterably to both constitutional reform and free and fair elections as described in UN Security Council Resolution 2254."
The State Department noted that Pompeo and de Mistrura also touched upon the progress in formation of the so-called constitutional committee of Syria. The agreement on establishing this committee was reached in the result of the Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue held on January 30 in Sochi. This committee together with de Mistura will prepare proposals for the elaboration of the country's constitution.
Earlier on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert recalled that the U.S. still considers the Geneva process "as the only viable way forward for a long-term political solution in Syria." She said that no other format could replace the Geneva peace process. She also said that Washington will double down efforts to support that process going forward.