UN Syria envoy cautious on upcoming Geneva talks

MUNICH: The United Nations envoy to Syria said on Sunday talks to be held from Feb. 23 in Geneva would aim to see if there was a window for political negotiations to advance.
“Astana is the only place for the cessation of hostilities and Geneva is to see if there is any space for political discussion,” Staffan de Mistura told delegates at the Munich Security Conference, referring to separate cease-fire talks in the Kazakh capital between Turkey, Russia and Iran.
He said the Geneva talks would be based on UN Security Council resolution 2254.
“I can’t tell you (if it will succeed), but we have to push for momentum. Even a cease-fire cannot hold too long if there is no political (solution).”