UN Hopes Syria Peace Talks Resume in Few Weeks

The United Nations said it hopes the governments involved in international efforts to resolve the conflict in Syria can agree on reviving a faltering ceasefire and enable the warring sides to return to peace talks within weeks.

News ID: 423815

Date: 22 September 2016 - 21:19

RNA - UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy said the United States and Russia had the backing of other states in the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), which is to meet for a second time this week in New York later in the day, to reinvigorate their joint plan for a truce, The Indian Express reported.

He said his chief, Staffan de Mistura, was holding talks with representatives from the warring sides to organize “direct negotiations” between them. The previous rounds of peace negotiations saw the two sides meeting separately with UN mediators.

Ramzy admitted that the situation on the ground was grim but said there was still hope that a ceasefire, which went into effect last week, could be revived.

“Clearly the resumption of the talks would be greatly helped by revitalizing the cessation of hostilities,” the UN official stated.

Ramzy said members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), which is expected to convene its second meeting in a week in New York later on Thursday, would support Russia and the United States in their bid to maintain the ceasefire. “That is the objective of the meeting of the ISSG,” he said.

Ramzy added that both the United States and Russia were “determined to make the agreement work,” adding that the UN would also continue to stick to the political process to put an end to Syria’s five-year war.

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