Pedersen: The parties to the conflict in Syria are in a strategic impasse

The United Nations Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, said during a session of the UN Security Council on Monday that the parties to the conflict in Syria had fallen into a “strategic impasse” for 21 months.

Geir Pedersen said, according to the Russian “TASS” agency, “All parties are in a strategic impasse on the ground, and this continues for 21 months. There are no changes on the ground.”

Pedersen clarified “This clearly indicates that none of the players or their alliances can resolve the conflict, and that the military solution remains illusory.”

Pedersen stressed the importance of diplomatic settlement efforts to the Syrian crisis, adding that he intends to continue consultations with the parties in Geneva early next year, and work to organize a new meeting for the Syrian Constitutional Committee, the date of which has not been set yet.

Pedersen had indicated in a press statement earlier this month that “the Syrian Constitutional Committee cannot resolve the conflict on its own,” explaining that it “could be the door to a broader process.”