Moscow Blames UN Envoy for 'Sabotaging' Syria Resolution
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Tuesday blamed the UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura for "sabotaging" a resolution backing peace talks between the government and opposition.
"The United Nations in the form of its special representative Staffan de Mistura has been sabotaging the resolution for more than six months," Lavrov said in televised remarks while on a visit to Minsk.
The resolution calls for "holding inclusive Syrian talks without preconditions," Lavrov said.
"It seems there is no other way except for the patriotic opposition and the government to take the initiative into their own hands and organize Syrian dialogue," he said, AFP reported.
UN Security Council Resolution 2254 adopted in December 2015 proposed the establishment of a body to head the political transition.
In January and February, de Mistura oversaw indirect talks between the government and opposition forces.
Despite efforts to relaunch the talks in April, they eventually collapsed when the opposition announced it would not formally participate.
