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Conflict in Syria

UN chief has ‘no plans now’ to join Geneva talks on Syria

He will be ready to do this if his presence is needed, Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said

UNITED NATIONS, November 30. /TASS/. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is not planning to join negotiations on Syria in Geneva, but will be ready to do this if his presence is needed, Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Thursday.

"As a matter of rule in any one of these challenging talks that we have on various countries and various issues if and when the Secretary Generals' presence is needed he would go... as of now just to be clear there are no plans out for him," Dujarric said.

He said the secretary-general and his team stay in touch with United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, who mediates in talks between Damascus and the opposition.

"Mister de Mistura is a able and experienced mediator and negotiator and... when he feels [that] the Secretary Generals' presence is needed I have no doubt that he will ask him," he added.

The eighth round of intra-Syrian talks began in Geneva on November 28. Earlier, Staffan de Mistura said plans were to discuss a new constitution for Syria and elections in that country. On Thursday, the UN envoy had separate meetings with representatives of Damascus and the opposition. These ‘shuttle’ meetings with delegations staying at the same building of the UN Office at Geneva continued for about three-and-a-half hours.

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Syrian conflict

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