Syrian sides meet again to discuss new constitution

GENEVA, Aug 24 (AP): Syrian government, opposition and civil society delegations have resumed meetings Monday in Geneva to discuss a possible new constitution, reports AP.

The step was taken by the U.N. mediator as a prospective "door-opener" to a final resolution of the country's devastating nine-year civil war.

The U.N.'s Syria envoy, Geir Pedersen, is hosting the three, 15-member teams from Syria, while major regional and world powers - Iran, Russia, Turkey and the United States - are expected to be present on the sidelines during the week-long gathering at the U.N. offices in Geneva.

With a fragile cease-fire largely holding in the rebel-held region of Idlib, Pedersen said last week he is hoping to build "trust and confidence" in a U.N.-led process that has produced few concrete results so far.