UN: Syria peace talks in deadlock, no meeting in the near future
The special envoy Staffan de Mistura confirms that there are no further meetings scheduled within the next three weeks. Oppositions constrain the resumption of talks to end the violence and the distribution of aid. On the ground continue the violence increasingly puts the fragile truce at risk.
Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The UN special envoy for Syria reports that there is no possibility of a resumption of peace talks for Syria within the next three weeks. He claims a resumption of negotiations is not possible, while on the ground fighting and violence continue increasingly undermining a fragile truce.
Staffan de Mistura spoke yesterday to a closed session of the United Nations Security Council. The head of the UN diplomacy for Syria stressed that further progress is needed to strengthen the ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid, before resuming negotiations.
The two weeks of "indirect" talks at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, between the Syrian government and opposition ended on April 27 with a stalemate. At first there was talk of a new round of negotiations in May, but no official date was ever given.
Diplomatic sources said that there are few opportunities for the participation of the opposition groups in a possible new round of talks; the violence on the ground and non-distribution of aid makes is making any negotiation impossible.
The international coalition of 20 countries, which supports the UN diplomatic effort, points out that it is for the same de Mistura to establish an "appropriate" date for a third round of talks.
Meanwhile, the United Nations special envoy is appealing to Washington and Moscow to work together on the ground to ensure the ceasefire in force since February 27 but violated almost daily in recent weeks. Right now, de Mistura concludes, "there are many civilians who are likely to die of hunger."
The Syrian conflict broke out in March 2011 as a civil uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. It has caused at least 280 thousand deaths and sparked an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with millions of refugees.
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30/05/2016 09:19
07/09/2016 09:30
