Damascus Ready to Resume 'Syrian-Syrian' Talks With No External Interference

The Syrian government is ready to resume talks with the country’s opposition groups, Syrian Ambassador to United Nations Bashar Jaafari told the UN General Assembly on Friday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, media reported that Damascus is ready to resume Syrian peace talks without preconditions.

"From this rostrum I would like to state that the Syrian Republic declares its preparedness to resume the Syrian-Syrian dialogue with no external interference and with no preconditions and with no interference from the states I mentioned," Jaafari said.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly is scheduled to take a vote a draft resolution, introduced by Canada, which stipulates an immediate cessation of hostilities in Syria.

The UN Security Council held a meeting on the situation on Syria on Thursday. Before the meeting, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told reporters that the time has arrived to resume the Syria talks.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura affirmed Churkin’s position.

Talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups began in Geneva, Switzerland in February, but were quickly suspended.