The United Nations envoy on Syria, Staffan de Mistura, plans to convene peace talks in Geneva in about a month's time, a senior UN official said on Tuesday, December 22, Reuters reports.
On Friday the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing an international road map for a Syria peace process, a rare display of unity among global powers on a conflict that has killed more than 250,000 people.
"The intention is that (de Mistura) starts some time toward the end of January," Michael Moller, head of the UN's Geneva office, told a news conference, adding that he hoped there would be more clarity in the first half of next month.
"Mr De Mistura is, as you know, basically living on a plane these days. Every day, evolutions in how things are being planned and being perceived by the different parties make it very hard to give you some idea of how this is going to evolve."
The United Nations has said the talks aim to establish "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance" in Syria and to draft a new constitution in the country now in its fifth year of civil war.
Friday's resolution gives a UN blessing to a plan negotiated earlier in Vienna that calls for a ceasefire, talks between the Syrian government and opposition, and a roughly two-year timeline to create a unity government and hold elections.
