UN Envoy says parties in Syria have now accepted need for political transition

The Syrian parties have now accepted the need for a political transition that will be overseen by a new and inclusive transitional governance that replaces the present governance arrangements in Syria.

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, made this known while briefing the UN Security Council via video conference on Wednesday in New York.

He added however, that substantial gaps remain between the parties´ respective visions of the transition and that there was need to go into further detail with them to ensure a credible and inclusive transition.

Mistura also noted with alarm the increasing level of violence in Syria over the last two weeks.

He told the council that there was continued grave humanitarian situation on the ground, despite some modest but real progress which had impacted the conduct of this round of talks.

The envoy described the nationwide cessation of hostilities as a precious achievement that has saved numerous Syrian lives and given credibility to the political track.

He said: “it must be urgently protected and reinforced”.

The Special Envoy further emphasised the life or death importance of regular and sustained humanitarian access to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Syrians.

In this respect, he stressed the importance of those with influence over the parties to press for safe and unhindered access by UN inter-agency convoys to all besieged and hard to reach areas.

This, he said, includes but not limited to the towns of Douma, Darraya, Madamiyet Elsham and East Harasta.

Mistura recommended to the Security Council that a meeting of the International Syria Support Group should be held in the near future.

He added that this would enable the council to take stock of the outcomes from this round of Intra-Syrian talks.

He recalled that the talks that held from April 13 to April 27 in Geneva, Switzerland, focused on an agenda of political transition and the establishment of inclusive transitional governance. (NAN)