The U.N. Special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura implored on Thursday (February 23) opposing sides in Syria to work together to find a way out to the almost six-year long war, as they came face-to-face in U.N. peace talks for the first time in three years.
“I know it is not easy – but let’s try to work together, to end this horrible conflict,” de Mistura told the delegates sitting opposite on a raised platform in an assembly hall in the U.N. in Geneva, during a ceremony to officially launch the fourth round of intra-Syrian talks.
De Mistura insisted the two sides had a joint responsibility to end the conflict that has killed at least 300,000 people and displaced millions.
Describing the negotiations as an uphill task, he said he would center on U.N. Security Council resolution 2254 which calls for a new constitution, U.N.-supervised elections and transparent and accountable governance.
Though the opposition has called for direct negotiations, the U.N. mediator said that there still was work to be done to get there, and said he was planning to resume bilateral meetings on Friday.
At the end of the ceremony, he shook hands with members of the opposition delegation, but as he walked across the room to do the same with Bashar al-Jaafari, the head of the Syrian government delegation had already left.
(REUTERS)
