Envoy: UN to announce new round of Syria talks
GENEVA - The United Nations will name a date on Friday for Syria's warring parties to return to the negotiating table for a second round of talks, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said on Thursday.
De Mistura abruptly aborted a first round of talks on Feb. 3, saying more preparatory work was needed from the "International Syria Support Group" (ISSG), led by the United States and Russia.
Since then Syrian government forces, backed by Russia and Iran, have continued a major offensive against rebels around the city of Aleppo, and President Bashar Assad's government and the opposition have both said they could support a US-Russian proposal for a "cessation of hostilities".
De Mistura said he would brief the UN Security Council on Friday and then announce a date for a new round of talks, but he declined to comment further.
