UN envoy urges parties to restore ceasefire in Syria before fresh peace talks

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said early Thursday that the next round of intra-Syrian peace talks will be meaningful only if tattered truce in the country be restored.

While noting that the latest Syria peace talks in Geneva was overshadowed by a substantial deterioration of the cessation of hostilities, he urged internationals partners and warring parties in Syria to take measure to restore truce so as to create favorable conditions for new talks.

"In the last 48 hours we have had an average of one Syrian killed every 25 minutes, and one Syrian wounded every 13 minutes," the special told the press after briefing the UN headquarters in New York on the just-concluded intra-Syrian peace talks.

"How can you have substantial talks when you only have news of bombing and shelling?" he asked.

He called upon members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) to reconvene as soon as possible in a bid to put negotiations back on track.

The United States and Russia, the two most significant players within the ISSG framework, should act immediately to restore the ceasefire in Syria and eliminate elements that endanger the intra-Syrian peace talks, said the envoy.

The exact date for the next round of the intra-Syrian peace talks will be announced in May, he said.

Source: XINHUA