29-03-2024 11:02 AM Jerusalem Timing

Geneva: Syrian Gov’t Delegation Meets de Mistura, Jaafari Says Meeting Positive

Geneva: Syrian Gov’t Delegation Meets de Mistura, Jaafari Says Meeting Positive

Delegation of the Syrian government to the inter-Syrian dialogue met on Monday with the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in Geneva-based UN headquarters.

MeetingDelegation of the Syrian government to the inter-Syrian dialogue met on Monday with the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in Geneva-based UN headquarters.

Earlier on Sunday, Head of the Syrian Arab Republic’s delegation to the Syrian-Syrian dialogue in Geneva Bashar al-Jaafari said that the delegation held a good meeting with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan di Mistura, adding “We affirmed the necessity for a good preparation to the indirect dialogue in order to avoid the gaps and problems that occurred in the first round.

In a press conference held earlier today, de Mistura called upon the international community to exert more efforts for making the inter-Syrian dialogue in Geneva a success, stressing that preconditions are not acceptable and that the Syrian people are the ones to determine their future.

He added that the inter-Syrian dialogue is important and required by all members of the international community, pointing out that he will give a brief on today’s talks to the UN Security Council.

Head of the Syrian Arab Republic’s delegation to the intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva Bashar al-Jaafari affirmed that the session held on Monday with de Mistura was positive and constructive, saying ” we discussed in this session the importance and need for good preparation in terms of form, which would allow us to begin on solid basis in order to discuss the substance and essence.”

In a statement to journalists following the meeting with de Mistura, al-Jaafari said the “form” aspect covers issues such as who are the delegations that came to Geneva, circumventing the gaps that were present in the first round of talks, who is on the list of names of participants, and treating all delegations equally.

“We as the Syrian Arab Republic delegation presented to de Mistura ideas and opinions which are essential elements for the political resolutions, in addition to ideas that should enrich his political efforts,” he explained, adding “we will move now to the stage of preparing well for the second meeting with de Mistura which will take place on Wednesday.”

Al-Jaafari said that de Mistura is supposed to meet with other delegations on Tuesday if they are present in full in Geneva as per UN resolutions and the Vienna statements, noting that all resolutions and agreements talk about the need for the widest spectrum of Syrian opposition to be represented in dialogue.

“We are motivated by our sense of responsibility toward our people and homeland, and this responsibility is one of the forms of strength granted to us by the Syrian people to represent them in this round of Syrian-Syrian dialogue,” he said, adding that he will make a more extensive statement on Wednesday.