UN working to launch Syria talks and cease-fire in January

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura speaks during a news conference, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, at UN headquarters. De Mistura told reporters after a closed-door meeting of the General Assembly that a national cease-fire in Syria is now more likely because the countries participating in two rounds of talks in Vienna “have an interest in a cease-fire.” AP

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations is working to launch talks between Syria’s warring parties and start a nationwide cease-fire in early January, the UN chief said Thursday.

Two rounds of talks in Vienna, which included major players supporting the opposing sides, have “created new momentum,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters.

He said it is critical to move ahead quickly to end the nearly five-year conflict, which has killed more than 250,000 people, uprooted 11 million others, created “a perfect breeding ground” for extremists and led millions to flee to neighboring countries and Europe.

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Last month, foreign ministers from about 20 nations agreed in Vienna to an ambitious yet incomplete plan that sets a Jan. 1 deadline for the start of negotiations between Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government and opposition groups.

Within six months, the negotiations are to establish a “credible, inclusive and non-sectarian” transitional government that would set a schedule for drafting a new constitution and holding a UN-supervised election within 18 months.

Ban said he expects a third round of talks to take place in New York, but he didn’t comment when asked about the reported date of Dec. 18.

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said he couldn’t confirm a date but added, “we’re trying to get something going as soon as possible.” He said the impetus is to hold talks in December.

Ban added that as a result of hard work, including by his special envoy Staffan de Mistura, “there should be a nationwide cease-fire, preferably as early as January.”

In Vienna, the foreign ministers failed to reach consensus on which groups other than the Islamic State and al-Qaida affiliates would not be eligible to be part of a cease-fire. Jordan was chosen to oversee a process that would identify groups to be considered for identification as “terrorists,” while Saudi Arabia was selected to try to bring Syrian opposition groups together.

UN diplomats say the Saudis are expected to host a meeting of opposition groups in mid-December.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that peace talks cannot go ahead until all parties agree on which groups should be listed as terrorist and which as legitimate opposition.