UN envoy: Syria warring parties agree to resume talks

The UN special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, said on Tuesday that the Syrian government and opposition have agreed to resume negotiations on the constitution in Geneva.

Pedersen added during a virtual conference with reporters that after nine years of war, there is “relative calm” in the last opposition-held areas in Idlib, which could be an opportunity to build confidence.

He urged the United States and Russia, which support two different parties in the war, to start talks and support the peace process.

Pedersen, the fourth UN envoy working to broker peace in Syria, said the government and opposition “have agreed to come to Geneva and they have agreed on an agenda for the next meeting” as soon as the situation resulting from the coronavirus pandemic permits.

He did not specify a date for the Constitutional Committee’s meeting but noted that it would not be possible to hold a virtual meeting.

“We need this to start somewhere. The Constitutional Committee could be that arena where confidence starts to build,” he explained.

READ: UN envoy calls on US, Russia to hold talks to help end Syria war