Wed 2018/01/17

Statement on behalf of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, today sent separate invitations to the Syrian Government and the Syrian Negotiation Commission to a special meeting with the United Nations in the framework of the United Nations-facilitated Geneva political process on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 January 2018.

Owing to logistical reasons, this special meeting will be held on the premises of the United Nations at the International Vienna Centre in Vienna, Austria.

The Special Envoy looks forward to the participation of both delegations in this special meeting.

He expects that delegations will be coming to Vienna prepared for substantive engagement with him and his team with a specific focus on the constitutional basket of the agenda towards the full implementation of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), and bearing in mind the parameters and observations he laid out in his briefing to the Security Council on 19 December 2017.

As he prepares for the session in Vienna, the Special Envoy reiterates the view of the United Nations that any political initiative by international actors should be assessed by its ability to contribute to and support the United Nations-facilitated Geneva political process and the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). Geneva, 17 January 2018