UN envoy in a bid to solidify Syria ceasefire

INTERNATIONAL talks to extend the ceasefire in Syria concluded in the Kazakh capital, Astana yesterday with the UN Special Envoy saying the ceasefire could be solidified if a mechanism to oversee and implement it was created.

“The chances of success would be greater if the parties here were able to agree on a mechanism to oversee and implement a nationwide ceasefire,” said Staffan de Mistura.

“We didn’t have it in the past, that’s the reason why often we failed.”

The Special Envoy added he hoped by strengthening the ceasefire at the Astana meeting “we could see in Geneva genuine intra-Syrian negotiations”, referring to the February 8 negotiations to be held under the auspices of the UN.

“I would hope direct negotiations between empowered and inclusive delegations of the Syrian government and the opposition take place,” De Mistura said.

These would include issues of “governance, constitution, elections” in the context of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorsed a road map for a peace process to begin in Syria. – ANA