1st LD: Meeting with Syrian gov't delegation "useful, constructive and professional": UN envoy

GENEVA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Wednesday described his first meeting with the Syrian government delegation as "very useful, constructive and professional".

Following a meeting with Head of the Syria government delegation Ambassador Bashaar Ja'afari in a hotel in Geneva, de Mistura said, "I just had a long, but very useful in my opinion, meeting with the delegation of the government of Syria."

Being asked about the atmosphere in the meeting, the UN Envoy said that the atmosphere in the meeting was "constructive and professional".

"We decided that we should continue having this meeting in the UN Headquarters in Geneva, this will be the first official meeting that we will be holding with the delegation of the Syrian government, and then we will continue tomorrow as well," he said.

The UN official also told reporters that he is intending to have both sides staying in Geneva to continue the meetings next week, after a possible weekend off.

"What is important is that we have an ongoing process of discussions, and that will be one of the subjects," he stressed.

As for the proposed direct discussion between both delegations, de Mistura said that this is still under discussion.

The Syrian government delegation to attend the new round of the UN-led Intra-Syrian Talks arrived here in Geneva Wednesday, one day later than the opening day of the new talks.

"We have in the past, from the oppositions, some delays to the talks, but our door is open and we will not put any judgments on that. We will test everyone by what they actually do but not only the attentions," De Mistura told Xinhua on Tuesday. Enditem