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1st LD Writethru: UN intends to convene Syrian peace talks in Geneva on Feb. 8, 2017: spokesperson

Xinhua, December 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations(UN) intends to convene the Syrian peace talks in Geneva on Feb. 8, 2017, the Spokesperson of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria said in a statement here on Monday.

"The Special Envoy will be comprehensively consulting the parties and the broadest spectrum of Syrian stakeholders, and the countries of the region and the wider international community, to carefully prepare negotiations," the statement said.

The statement added the Special Envoy will follow with interest the meeting on Tuesday between Russia, Turkey, and Iran, saying that any effort that can bring about a cessation of hostilities will be welcomed.

The latest statement from the Envoy's spokesperson also welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2328 on Syria, which was just unanimously adopted in New York to send UN observers to monitor evacuations in Syria's war-torn Aleppo.

"The UN Special Envoy hopes that this could be a beginning of the restoration of the unity of the Security Council, and along with the wider UN system, the Office of the Special Envoy will be fully engaged in promoting the operational implementation of the resolution on the ground," said the statement from the Envoy's spokesperson.

According to the latest resolution adopted by the UN Security Council on Monday, the UN should carry out adequate, neutral monitoring and direct observation on evacuations of civilians and fighters from eastern Aleppo.

The 15-nation council also demands in the resolution that all parties allow safe and unhindered access for the UN in order to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches people in need.

Earlier last week Syria's Foreign Ministry said that the Syrian government was ready to resume the inter-Syrian talks without preconditions, responding to the latest comments of UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura.

Mistura told reporters recently that it's about time to look seriously into the possibility of reviving political talks on Syria.

Previous Syrian talks in Geneva ended without achieving results, amid an increasing military showdown in Syria, mainly in the northern city of Aleppo. Enditem