Press Statement from the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria

Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura will reconvene the intra-Syrian talks under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva on 16 May 2017. In this round and subsequent ones, he is looking forward to intensified work with invitees on the items on agenda of the talks, within the context of the overall framework of relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 2254 (2015). The Special Envoy continues to press strongly for the meaningful participation of women in the political process.

As preparations for talks continue, the Special Envoy reiterates his hope that the agreement reached last week in Astana among guarantors of the ceasefire announced on 29 December 2016 will be implemented in full - thus bringing about a significant de-escalation in violence, and helping shape an environment conducive to the political intra-Syrian talks in Geneva.

The Special Envoy will brief the Security Council later in the course of this month.

Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, 8 May 2017