Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA – Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem received on Tuesday the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura and the accompanying delegation.
De Mistura briefed al-Moallem on the latest Geneva meeting that has been suspended and the ongoing work to launch talks between the Syrian government and the opposition groups later this month.
He also referred to the recent meeting of the International Syria Support Group in Munich and the efforts to implement its outcomes and those of the two Vienna Communiqués and the UN Security Council resolutions, especially resolution no. 2254.
Minister al-Moallem reaffirmed the Syrian government’s stance that it is committed to a Syrian -led intra-Syrian dialogue without preconditions, reiterating that the Syrian people alone have the right to determine the future of their country.
The Syrian government and its official delegation to Geneva, he said, have proved they are honest and sincere about the efforts to solve the crisis in Syria.
Al-Moallem reaffirmed the necessity to comply with the UNSC resolution no. 2254 about the representation of broad spectra of the Syrian opposition in the talks.
He highlighted the efforts made by the Syrian government to the effect of protecting its citizens and delivering humanitarian aid to them, particularly in the areas controlled by the terrorist groups.
These efforts, he affirmed, will continue as they stem from the government’s responsibility towards its people and are separable from the Geneva meetings.
The Foreign Minister reiterated the need to lift the unjust and unilateral measures imposed by the US and the EU, which he said have contributed a great deal to increasing the suffering of the Syrian people.
The meeting was attended by Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister Ayman Sousan, Advisor to the Minister Ahmad Arnous and the UN Resident Coordinator in Syria Yacoub al Helou.
Following the meeting the UN Envoy told the reporters in a statement that the talks with al-Moallem dealt with the issue of delivering aid to all besieged areas.
He noted that another meeting will be held later on the day to follow up on this issue that was a point of discussion in Munich meeting.
Later, de Mistura told journalists that he discussed with Minister al-Moallem what could be considered as an issue of high priority which is “how to deliver humanitarian aid to the areas besieged by all sides, adding that reaching these areas is possible through convoys in cooperation with a UN team and the Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria regularly.
He saw that it is the duty of the Syrian government to deliver humanitarian aid to every Syrian citizen wherever they are and whenever there is a humanitarian need for that, adding that they may elaborate on this issue tomorrow.
De Mistura also met a delegation of the National Internal Opposition.
Nawaf Tarad al-Milhim, Chairman of the People’s party, said that the UN envoy has affirmed that all oppositions inside and outside will be included in the consultative meetings that will be held in Geneva.
Al-Milhim added that De Mistura was optimistic the next meetings would be successful.
R. Milhem/H. Said/Mazen
