The United States will join UN-led talks in Geneva next month to discuss plans to draft a new Syrian constitution, a State Department official said on Tuesday.
"The United States has accepted the invitation from UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura to participate in talks in Geneva on Sept. 14," a State Department official said.
The UN said the meeting would involve representatives from the United States, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Jordan, France and Egypt. It will take place two days after de Mistura receives officials from Russia, Turkey and Iran for previously announced talks.
The planned meetings follow a similar set of talks with both groups of countries in June, although Egypt was not involved in that round.
"This is going to be an opportunity to discuss the way ahead on the political process," UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci said.
The State Department said the United States would be represented by James Jeffrey, the new special representative for Syria, and Joel Rayburn, the administration's special envoy for Syria.
De Mistura has been tasked with forming a committee of Syrian citizens to draw up the new constitution, after receiving nominations from the Syrian government and the opposition.
The discussions about setting up a constitutional committee have made slow progress and represent a large downgrade in UN ambitions for the Syrian peace talks.
For two years, the warring sides repeatedly came to Geneva in a futile search for agreement on political reforms, a new constitution and new elections.
But this year, with little US political involvement and major gains on the battlefield by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies, the UN political process has largely evaporated.
A State Department official said the US would remain engaged with the UN and other parties, including Russia, to encourage all possible efforts to advance the political process, and the US supports de Mistura's efforts to broker a political settlement.
