Churkin: Russia Supports Intra-Syrian Talks Resumption Without Preconditions

MOSCOW- Russia advocates the resumption of intra-Syrian talks in late August without preconditions, Russian envoy to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said Tuesday.

According to Sputnik, Churkin added that he was encouraged to hear that Staffan de Mistura was planning to reconvene talks in late August and calling “on all those who have influence on the opposition to make sure that they come prepared this time.”

 “As usual, there are some members of the Council [UN Security], which keep setting up all sorts of preconditions for the resumption of the talks. What he [UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura] said I think is very sensible, of course the lower the level of violence, the better it is for the talks, and we share that approach. But there must be no preconditions for the talks,” Churkin told journalists following the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

Russian envoy stressed that Turkey must come to terms with the necessity of the Kurds participation in the negotiations, as territorial integrity of Syria is in Ankara’s best interests.

H.M