Ramzy: Syria will participate in Vienna special meeting

Damascus, SANA- UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy said on Thursday that the Syrian Arab Republic will attend Vienna meeting on Jan. 25-26th.

Ramzy, following a meeting with Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad in Damascus, said that Dr. Mikdad told him “Syria’s approval to participate in the special meeting of Vienna,” noting that Special Envoy de Mistura briefed Security Council on the political process in Syria with emphasis on the second and third baskets, the Constitution and the elections.

He added that the two-hour meeting with Mikdad was part of the ongoing consultation between the Special Envoy, his team and the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, which is taking place at different levels.

The meeting was “full of frankness”, during which the development of the political process was reviewed since the last visit to Damascus as well as preparations for the Vienna meeting to be held on Jan 25-26th.

“We look forward to the constructive engagement of the Syrian parties, both the government and the opposition, at the Vienna meeting, especially on the points raised by the special envoy to the Security Council,” Ramzey said.

“The UN will continue with the same effort to reconcile among the stances in order to fully implement UNSC resolution no. 2254 in an acceptable manner to the Syrians,” he said, adding that the solution to the crisis in the country is a Syrian solution and that the role of the UN is to help the Syrian people reach a political settlement that meets their aspirations.

In response to a question regarding the date of the Vienna meeting and if it was in anticipation of  Sochi Congress and whether UN Envoy would attend it or not, Ramzey said that the Special Envoy has already announced many times the invitation for a new round of talks in January so “Vienna meeting is not surprising” and that Vienna was chosen as one of the UN headquarters and it was not possible to hold the meeting in Geneva for organizational and logistical reasons.

“The success of Vienna meeting is the success of Sochi,” he said.

“We will focus on the constitutional issues with the aim of making Vienna succeed so as to contribute to Sochi’s success. The Special Envoy has focused on the constitution basket and there is ongoing consultation with the Russian side regarding this matter,” Ramzy said.

He reiterated that the UN stance is clear and principled that rejects any preconditions, in reference to “the opposition.”

Manar/Mazen

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