Kremlin: Putin to Discuss Syria with Ki moon, de Mistura on June 16

MOSCOW-Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in St Petersburg on June 16, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Russia will host an economic forum in St Petersburg later this week and the meeting will take place on its sidelines, Ushakov said.

 “Topics are the fight against global terrorism and the situation in Syria,” the Kremlin official said.

Churkin: De Misura is hesitant about holding new round of intra-Syrian dialogue

Russia’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Vitaly Churkin announced that Moscow hopes the crises in Syria and Ukraine will come to an end  by the end of 2016.

Sputnik cited Churkin as saying that de Mistura “is hesitant about holding a new round of intra-Syrian talks.”  

The Russian diplomat added that the United Nations accords great attention to “Riyadh opposition” group which boycotted the talks while the Syrian government delegation continues to express its readiness for dialogue.  

On Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov stressed that the Intra-Syrian dialogue must not be taken hostage by desires, whims of a single opposition group. “This group must not dictate its demands on other parties,” he said.

Agencies

 H.M