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Preparations in final stages ahead of Syria peace talks: UN

Xinhua, February 21, 2017 Adjust font size:

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, is finalising preparations ahead of intra-Syrian negotiations scheduled to start on Feb. 23, his chief of staff said Tuesday.

"The Special Envoy is ready to receive, and looking forward to engaging Syrian parties who are arriving in Geneva this week for the intra-Syrian negotiations," Michael Contet told press here.

"He is putting final touches on arrangements, continuing his consultations with Syrian parties and international actors," he added.

Participants are expected to kick off talks in Geneva's UN headquarters on Feb. 23, 10 months after the last round of negotiations were put on hold amid a humanitarian meltdown and violence.

No indication on whether delegations have already arrived in the Swiss city was given.

The UN-mediated talks are seeking to broker a political end to a conflict which has killed as many as 400,000 people and displaced millions of others since March 2011.

Contet confirmed that upcoming negotiations will be guided by UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Endit