Mediator's-Summary 4

4 The issues selected in Annex 1 are based on the formal meetings with the parties, technical consultations and submissions received to date. It should be noted that they are neither comprehensive nor final and represent the judgment of the Special Envoy rather than the positions of the parties. Such issues include: (1) how power is to be exercised by the governance during transition, including in relation to the presidency, executive powers and the control over governmental and security institutions; (2) what strategy, joint bodies and coordination mechanisms need to be developed to combat terrorism and ensure the protection and territorial integrity of Syria’s borders; as well as (3) how to practically establish a calm, neutral environment that assures the safety of all, including through measures to protect all groups and the continuity and reform of state institutions (for a full list of the issues see Annex 1). In the view of the Special Envoy, all the matters listed in Annex 1 will need to be addressed to help facilitate a meaningful agreement on political transition between the parties that meets the requirements of resolution 2254. Accordingly, the Special Envoy will seek the concurrence and endorsement of these fundamental issues by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) for elaboration with the participants in future rounds of the Intra-Syrian Talks. Furthermore, if the two sides are to go into these issues in further detail, each party will need to give up its insistence that it will not provide further detail on its vision of transition until the other accepts from the outset its own ascribed governance mechanism. Accordingly, nothing as a matter of principle should be excluded from the negotiations. Process design of the Talks going forward The ultimate aim of the UN facilitated Talks remains to bring the two sides to a position of direct negotiations. Until this point, the Talks proceed in a proximity format so as to allow the Special Envoy the flexibility to engage the participants as productively as possible on their respective visions of a political transition. This round of Talks also revealed how technical talks at the expert level can help to deepen the process of inquiry and establish points of commonality between the parties. Going forward the Special Envoy is likely to invite the parties to engage in technical sessions with OSE experts both during and between rounds of the Intra-Syrian Talks in Geneva. Such sessions may include expert presentations on some of the governance agenda items referred to in Annex 1. Additionally, it is likely that the Special Envoy shall hold a range of civil society and women focused consultations both during and between rounds of the Talks to ensure that the broadest possible spectrum of views of Syrian stakeholders and independents are also fed into the formal negotiations over a political transition. The Special Envoy may also seek to identify a set of practical implementing benchmarks for transition so as to ensure that any political vision agreed by mutual consent results in concrete benefits on the ground for ordinary Syrians. Cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access The political track will continue to be impacted by the urgent situation on the ground inside of Syria. During this round, the nationwide cessation of hostilities that came into effect on 27 February and which was endorsed by Security Council resolution 2268 (2016) came under substantial strain. The increasing violence and the need for safe and unhindered humanitarian access to besieged and hard-to-reach areas necessitate urgent action by the International Syria Support Group in order to create a conducive environment for the next round of Intra-Syrian Talks