UN hopes for meeting on Syria constitution by late December

De Mistura said the Syrian government is objecting to 50 members of the committee representing civil society, independents, tribal leaders and women. (AFP)

The UN envoy for Syria on Monday signaled that he was ready to abandon efforts to set up a committee on drafting a post-war constitution if no deal is reached by the end of December.

The planned constitutional committee agreed at a Russia-hosted conference in January has run into objections from the Syrian government over allowing religious leaders, representatives from women's groups and independent experts to take part.