Syria Peace Talks May Restart March 7 in Geneva: Russian Official
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – International talks to resolve the Syrian crisis may restart in the Swiss city of Geneva on March 7, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity on Friday.
The Russian official’s remarks quoted by Reuters came after UN’s Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said Thursday the United Nations will name a date Friday for Syria's warring parties to return to the negotiating table for a second round of talks
De Mistura abruptly aborted a first round of talks on Feb. 3, saying more preparatory work was needed from the "International Syria Support Group" (ISSG), led by the United States and Russia.
De Mistura said he would brief the UN Security Council Friday and then announce a date for a new round of talks, but he declined to comment further, Reuters reported.
"I will announce tomorrow when the parties (will reconvene) and the new talks (will happen)," he told reporters, as he arrived for a meeting of the ISSG task force on humanitarian access.
Another ISSG task force, on ceasefires, will convene for the first time in Geneva Friday, De Mistura said - an opportunity for diplomats from ISSG countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran to say whether they endorse the US-Russian proposal.
Combatants are required to say whether they will agree to the "cessation of hostilities" in the five-year war by noon on Friday (1000 GMT), and to halt fighting Saturday.
The Syrian government said last Tuesday it accepted a halt to "combat operations" that does not include Daesh (ISIL), the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, or groups connected to it, in line with a US-Russian plan on cessation of hostilities.
