UN envoy to be represented at January Syria talks in Moscow
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura will be represented at talks about Syria in Moscow next month, his spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
In a renewed peace effort, Assad's ally Russia floated the idea in recent weeks of hosting Syrian government and opposition figures in Moscow. De Mistura's invitation confirms those talks are set for Jan. 26-29.
"It's a Russian initiative that focuses on intra-Syrian negotiations," his spokeswoman Juliette Touma said by email.
"The Office of the Special Envoy will be present at these talks. The Office of the Special Envoy welcomes any initiative that would push forward reaching a peaceful and diplomatic end to the crisis in Syria," she said, without specifying whether de Mistura himself would attend.
A diplomat who tracks Syria said the talks could include discussions on ways to enforce Syria's security, the formation of a transitional government and discussions on how to enable people who defected earlier in the conflict back into Syria.
Moscow has repeated a proposal that Assad stay in power for two years with a provisional government, before presidential elections in which he could stand again along with other candidates, the diplomat said.
However, it is unclear which Syrian opposition figures would attend the talks. Two members of the National Coalition, the main Western-backed opposition, said on Tuesday said they had not received an invitation.
Coalition member Abdulahad Steifo said invitations had gone to five to 10 members personally rather than to the coalition as a body. "I think for the coalition this would be a problem," said Steifo, who did not get an invitation.
Hadi al-Bahra, head of the National Coalition, said on Saturday that Russia lacked a clear initiative.
The body will discuss its stance at its general assembly meeting which starts on Friday, Steifo said.
