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UN Syria envoy not taking part in Astana meeting

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said earlier that all parties to the Astana talks on Syria had confirmed their participation in the upcoming talks

ASTANA, October 30. /TASS/. United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura is not participating in the seventh international Astana meeting on resolving the situation in Syria, Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesman Anuar Zhainakov told TASS on Monday.

"I can confirm that Staffan de Mistura will not participate in the talks. Another official will represent the United Nations," he said.

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said earlier that all parties to the Astana talks on Syria had confirmed their participation in the upcoming talks. The Russian delegation is led by Presidential Representative for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev, the Turkish delegation is headed by Deputy Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry Sedat Onal, while Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari leads the Iranian delegation. According to Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry, the meeting will also involve delegations of the Syrian government and opposition, while representatives of the United Nations, United States and Jordan will take part in the meeting as observers.

The seventh international meeting on Syria is being held in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana on October 30-31.