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1st LD Writethru: UN envoy to brief Security Council, announce date for resumption of Syrian peace talks

Xinhua, May 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Thursday told reporters that he will brief the latest situation to the UN Security Council Thursday afternoon, and then announce the date for the resumption of the peace talks among conflicting Syrian parties.

"I will brief the UN Security Council later this afternoon and consulate with the UN secretary general for the best option we need to take," he said during a press briefing inside the UN Headquarters at Geneva Thursday.

Earlier the UN envoy highlighted that the credibility of the next round of intra-Syrian talks seeking to broker a political end to the five-year conflict in the country hinges on tangible improvements on the ground.

"Obviously, we're in a hurry to reintroduce the next round of intra-Syrian talks," he said.

A truce set in motion some three months ago catalyzed unprecedented humanitarian access while giving life to a political peace process which has since been put on hold.

Both De Mistura and his senior adviser Jan Egeland had warned that more needed to be done to restore hope in a conflict which has claimed the lives of 400,000 people so far.

"If the access continues to be denied to those besieged cities which have to yet to receive aid, the UN's World Food Programme is to carry out airdrops of food, medicine and water since the beginning of June," The UN envoy noted. Endit