New York, SANA – The United Nations affirmed that the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will head the UN delegation to Astana talks on the crisis in Syria.
“In light of the complexity and importance of the issues likely to be raised in Astana, and of the senior level at which the conveners of the meeting will be represented, the Secretary-General has asked Mr. de Mistura, to lead the UN team at the talks,” Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General, said in a statement on Thursday.
“The Secretary-General is looking forward to the Astana meeting being a positive step, ahead of the resumption of intra-Syria negotiations in Geneva,” he added.
In this regard, Moscow welcomed the participation of de Mistura.
“We welcome the decision of UN Secretary General to send de Mistura to the Syrian-Syrian talks in Astana,” Russian permanent diplomatic mission in Geneva said in a statement.
M. al-Frieh/H. Said/Mazen