The UN mediator has called on the leaders of the U.S. and the Russian Federation to salvage the “barely alive” two-month-old ceasefire in Syria and revitalise the damaged peace process.
UN Special Envoy, Staffan de’Mistura, who made the call on Thursday in Geneva, voiced deep concern at the truce unraveling in Aleppo and at least three other hot-spots.
He said he envisaged some narrowing of positions between the government and opposition visions of political transition.
“Hence my appeal for a U.S.-Russian urgent initiative at the highest level, because the legacy of both President Obama and President Putin is linked to the success of what has been a unique initiative which started very well. It needs to end very well.
de’Mistura urged the U.S. and Russia to convene a ministerial meeting of major and regional powers who compose the International Syria Support Group (ISSG).
He emphasised that there is no reason that both Countries which have been putting so much efforts in the success story and with a common interest seeing Syria in ending should not relent in the efforts.
de’Mistura noted that the main opposition “High Negotiations Committee (HNC)’’ pulled out of the formal talks a week ago, in protest of intensified fighting and slow aid deliveries.
“How can you have substantial talks when you have only news about bombing and shelling.
“It’s something that even I find it difficult, can you imagine the Syrian, i hope to resume talks in May,’’ he said.
De Mistura said the round of talks had been “overshadowed by a substantial and indeed worrisome of cessation of hostilities.”
“The perception is that it could collapse any time.
“In the past 48 hours there had been an average of 1 Syrian civilian killed every 25 minutes and one wounded every 13 minutes.
“The latest victims included “the last paediatric doctor” in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, killed in an air strike on a hospital on Wednesday,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Bashar Ja’afari, who led the government delegation, said the round had been useful and constructive.
He, however gave no sign of ceding to the HNC’s central demand for a political transition without President Bashar al-Assad.
