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1st LD Writethru: UN special envoy announces March 7 as new date for Syria peace talks

Xinhua, February 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura announced late Friday night after a UN Security Council briefing that intra-Syrian talks will resume on March 7 if the cessation of hostilities already in motion in the war-torn country hold.

He also said during a press conference here that an informal ceasefire taskforce meeting will convene later Saturday to monitor the implementation of the cessation of hostilities, pursuant to an agreement adhered to by 97 armed groups and the Syrian government, and backed by regional and international powers.

UN-led talks seeking to broker a political solution between Syrian warring factions, namely Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and opposition forces, came to a premature standstill on Feb. 3 after parties failed to see eye to eye on a number of issues.

According to related UN agency figures, 110,000 people in besieged areas in Syria have been provided with vital humanitarian aid since talks were put on hold three weeks ago.

More than 250,000 people in Syria have been killed since March 2011. Endit