UN Envoy to Syria Says Peace Talks to Begin March 10

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said that next round of the intra-Syrian talks will be held on March 10.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said in an interview with Arab media on Saturday he envisioned the reconciliation talks in Geneva to kick off on March 10.

De Mistura said this week March 9 has been "penciled" for Syrian government and opposition delegates to convene for another round of negotiations after being postponed due to a lack of compromise early last month.

"In my opinion we will start on the 10th of the month. This process kicks off. Some will arrive on the ninth. Others, because of difficulties in matters of hotel reservation, will arrive on the 11th," de Mistura told the Al Hayat daily.

The envoy said the "unusual" talks would be held indirectly by a process of separate meetings at different dates and different rooms.

The latest round, more than a month after de Mistura suspended the previous sit-down, comes as Russia and the United States reached an agreement on a ceasefire that took effect on February 27 and has been observed for the most part since then.