UN Syria envoy expresses desire to visit Moscow in July - Gatilov

UNITED NATIONS, July 8. /TASS/. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has expressed willingness to visit Moscow in July to discuss the situation with resolving the conflict between Damascus and the armed opposition, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told reporters on Tuesday. He added that he would hold a meeting with de Mistura in New York on July 9. "We are in contact with de Mistura," the diplomat said. "We do not rule out that he will visit Moscow somewhere in the middle of July. Anyway, he expressed his desire to do so." According to Gatilov, the UN envoy is going to share "his vision of the current situation" with the Syrian settlement after a round of consultations with the parties to the conflict. "He has held a series of meetings with the opposition, the government and the regional players. He has ideas, which he would like to share," the diplomat added. Gatilov added that the Russian side was prepared to continue the meetings in Moscow involving representatives of Damascus and the opposition, but only if they were aimed at achieving practical results. "We have already held two meetings, there were productive discussions. If we talk about the third meeting, it would be preferable if a practical result was achieved. If there is such a political will on the part of the parties to the Syrian process, we are ready to provide the Moscow platform," he said. Read more