Russia’s Lavrov will hold talks with UN Syria envoy: Foreign Ministry

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to meet with the United Nations Syria Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to discuss the latest developments in the region, the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

“I can confirm that these talks are planned for Friday,” foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.

The meeting with Lavrov is one of many de Mistura has planned with other world leaders aimed at relaunching stalled peace talks between the Syrian regime and the armed opposition, his office said in Geneva.

According to the statement, the UN Syria envoy met with Turkish officials in Ankara on Wednesday before he heads to Moscow and Tehran to sit with senior officials. He had also met with the League of Arab states in Riyadh.

International tensions related to the Syrian conflict increased following a US-led bombardment on April 14 at chemical weapons bases blamed for launching a suspected poison gas attack on eastern Ghouta earlier this month.

“The current escalation of the situation around Syria has a devastating impact on the whole system of international relations,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement after the attack.

Russia and Iran have supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the now eight-year-long civil war.

Meanwhile, de Mistura’s office said the UN official is also expected to meet with European ministers and US officials at a Brussels conference on Syria set for April 24-25. He will then brief the UN Security Council on the discussions.