UN Syria envoy not expecting breakthrough at Geneva talks
Playing down expectations, the UN envoy for Syria said Wednesday he's not expecting a breakthrough in the first UN-mediated peace talks between government representatives and the opposition in 10 months, rather hoping to build momentum toward peace after nearly six years of war.
Staffan de Mistura spoke a day before convening the two sides amid a recent cease-fire that he said has largely held, and recent battlefield gains by President Bashar Assad's forces. The envoy warned of unspecified "spoilers" who could try to scuttle his efforts to end a conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead.
"We want to give a chance to the Syrian people, to the Syrian parties, to try to have some type of dialogue" that can lead "beyond just a conflict," he told reporters in Geneva. De Mistura said he was determined to keep "a very proactive momentum" in the talks, which will focus on new elections, a new constitution and governance.
