"In my formal invitation to the forthcoming round of the intra-Syrian talks, I encouraged the invitees to prepare actively. I look forward to them engaging in an intensified set of discussions on issues across all four "baskets": governance issues, constitutional issues, electoral issues, counter-terrorism, security, governance, and medium-term confidence-building issues," de Mistura said." I hope it will be possible to accelerate the peace talks."
Moreover, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Tuesday at a UN Security Council meeting that he was ready to facilitate direct talks between the Syrian government and opposition during the seventh round of talks in Geneva.
"If the environment is propitious, I am also ready to seek to facilitate direct talks between the government and the opposition, hopefully unified opposition, in those talks, either at the formal or technical level," de Mistura said.
The level of violence has decreased in Syria in general, but in some areas violence is continuing, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Tuesday at a UN Security Council meeting.
"Since the three guarantor states signed the de-escalation memorandum on May 4 in Astana, violence is clearly down. Hundreds of Syrian lives continue to be spared every week and many towns have returned to some degree of normalcy. That is a good general trend, but it's not the same good trend everywhere. And in some areas the fight and violence have been continuing, and in fact intensified," de Mistura said.