Syria Talks in Geneva Postponed on De Mistura's Request

Riyad Haddad, the Syrian ambassador to Russia said that a new round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva were postponed due to a request by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Damascus was ready for a new round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva on February 8 but decided to accommodate a request by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura to postpone them until the end of February, the Syrian ambassador to Russia said Monday.

"The date for postponed intra-Syrian talks in Geneva has not been determined yet, but we are moving along this trek. We have practically agreed in Astana that the meeting would be held on February 8, but, unfortunately, it was postponed because the international community is not ready to hold such talks," Riyad Haddad said.

According to Haddad, it was de Mistura who asked to postpone the Geneva talks without explaining why, but Damascus "decided to accommodate the request."

Haddad stated that Damascus is ready to conduct consult with Moscow on Russian proposals on a new draft of the Syrian constitution.

"Our government has not responded yet, but we, as representatives of the Syrian government, accept these proposals from our Russian friends, we are studying these proposals and will hold consultations with them," Haddad told reporters in Moscow.