GENEVA (Sputnik) — The first round of substantial proximity talks between the Syrian government and opposition forces are scheduled for next Monday. UN participants to the negotiations started coming to Geneva on Wednesday, with more negotiators and task force members due to arrive in the coming days.
"I don’t know where this two weeks’ issue came up from an international point of view," de Mistura told reporters in reply to whether there would be an extension of the US-Russia brokered ceasefire deal.
The deal on the cessation of hostilities in Syria came into effect on February 27. Media reports cited Syria’s key opposition bloc as saying it had agreed to a temporary two-week truce.
The UN envoy added there was largely a "quite sustained reduction of violence" reported in Syria during the past weeks.
"Incidents are taking place, no question. And there are, I’m expecting, even worse incidents to take place, probably caused by spoilers," de Mistura warned, adding that it was up to the parties to the truce to prevent it from unravelling.
