UPDATES FOR CORRESPONDENTS

28 December - Joint statement by the UN in Syria, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross
26 December - Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Special Envoy for Syria
11 December - International Syria Support Group meeting
24 November: Statement attributable to the spokesperson of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria
14 November - Statement of the International Syria Support Group
6 November - Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Special Envoy for Syria
30 October - Vienna Communique on Syria

Meeting in Vienna, on October 30, 2015, China, Egypt, the EU, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, and the United States [“the participants”] came together to discuss the grave situation in Syria and how to bring about an end to the violence as soon as possible.

The participants had a frank and constructive discussion, covering major issues. While substantial differences remain among the participants, they reached a mutual understanding on the following:

1) Syria’s unity, independence, territorial integrity, and secular character are fundamental.

2) State institutions will remain intact.

3) The rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination, must be protected.

4) It is imperative to accelerate all diplomatic efforts to end the war.

5) Humanitarian access will be ensured throughout the territory of Syria, and the participants will increase support for internally displaced persons, refugees, and their host countries.

6) Da'esh, and other terrorist groups, as designated by the U.N. Security Council, and further, as agreed by the participants, must be defeated.

7) Pursuant to the 2012 Geneva Communique and U.N. Security Council Resolution 2118, the participants invited the U.N. to convene representatives of the Government of Syria and the Syrian opposition for a political process leading to credible, inclusive, non-sectarian governance, followed by a new constitution and elections. These elections must be administered under U.N. supervision to the satisfaction of the governance and to the highest international standards of transparency and accountability, free and fair, with all Syrians, including the diaspora, eligible to participate.

8) This political process will be Syrian led and Syrian owned, and the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria.

9) The participants together with the United Nations will explore modalities for, and implementation of, a nationwide ceasefire to be initiated on a date certain and in parallel with this renewed political process.

The participants will spend the coming days working to narrow remaining areas of disagreement, and build on areas of agreement. Ministers will reconvene within two weeks to continue these discussions.

2 October - Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson of the Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura
22 September - Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the Special Envoy for Syria
13 September - Statement of the Special Envoy for Syria to the Ministerial meeting of the League of Arab States

10 September - Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria
1st September - Special Envoy for Syria met with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Arab African Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, met today in Beirut with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Arab African Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Hussain Amir Abdullahian. The meeting was an opportunity to analyse the evolving situation with a key regional player and to discuss efforts in follow-up to the Security Council Presidential Statement supporting the recent United Nations initiative to operationalize the Geneva Communique.

Mr. de Mistura elaborated in particular on the usefulness of the Working Groups aimed at facilitating the political solution to the ongoing Syrian conflict.

The Special Envoy will proceed from Beirut to Brussels where he will continue his consultations with European Union officials and relevant Member States.

01 September 2015, Geneva
17 August - Special Envoy for Syria condemned yesterday's air raids on the town of Duma
14 August - Special Envoy for Syria condemns shelling of Damascus Suburbs
12 August - Special Envoy for Syria welcomes the release of human rights activist and journalist

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, welcomed the release of human rights activist and journalist Mazen Darwish.

The issue of freedom of the press and media, as well as arbitrary detention of political and human rights activists, remains an important component of the Geneva communique.

"I am aware of reports that many more journalists, human rights and political activists remain in detention often without access to legal and medical services,” Mr. de Mistura said.
“I strongly urge the Syrian government to take further steps and release all those detained or charged for their exercise of the freedom of expression, which is a fundamental human right.”

He added that, “we should all strive to reach a sustainable political solution in Syria on the basis of international human rights standards and freedoms.”

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5 August - Secretary-General encouraged by Security Council’s support for latest proposal on Syria
5 August - Special Envoy explains his proposal on thematic discussions
29 July - Remarks by the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the situation in Syria
29 July - Special Envoy for Syria briefs Security Council on the situation in Syria

23 July
22 July
21 July
20 July
15 July
14 July
13 July
Within the framework of the ongoing Consultations on Syria, Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura visited the State of Qatar where he met with the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Mohammad Bin Abdullah Bin Mutib Al Rumaihi on 12 July 2015.

On the same day, he visited the United Arab Emirates where he met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Throughout his discussions, the Special Envoy noted once again the need for starting a process leading to a political solution to the Syrian crisis through constructive dialogue.

Mr. de Mistura will continue his consultations with Member States in the region in the coming few days.

13 July 2015, Geneva
11 July
10 July
The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura ended his visit to New York, where he discussed the findings from the initial phase of the Geneva Consultations on the operationalization of the Geneva Communique with the Secretary-General and his senior advisers at United Nations Headquarters.

Mr. de Mistura will be continuing his consultations with Member States, including in the region.

The Special Envoy intends to finalize by the end of July his proposals to the Secretary-General on a way forward to support Syrian parties in their search of a political solution to the conflict, in preparation for a briefing to the Security Council.

10 July 2015, New York

2 July
26 & 27 June
25 & 26 June
19 June
18 June
16 June
15 June
Within the framework of the Geneva Consultations, Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy met today with representatives of leading Syrian civil society organizations, including Mr. Fadel Al Shokfa and Mr. Wael Aleji of the Syrian Network for Human Rights. They briefed on the situation on the ground, and discussed prospects for a political solution in Syria.

Mr. Ramzy met with Mr. Haitham Manna, who briefed on the outcomes of the Cairo II meeting. The two discussed the ongoing efforts of the Syrian political, armed and civil society groups to find ways to end the conflict in Syria through political means.

Mr. Ramzy also met with a Palestinian delegation, headed by Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi, who briefed on the situation of the Palestine refugee community in Syria. The two also discussed the situation in the region and prospects for ending the conflict in Syria.

At the end of today’s meetings, Mr. Ramzy again registered the continued plea of the Syrian groups for an urgent end to the conflict. He stressed that there was no alternative for the United Nations to sparing no effort to help reach a political solution that would meet the aspirations of the Syrian people for peace, dignity and justice.

11 June
10 June
9 June
8 June
5 June
Within the framework of the ongoing Geneva Consultations, Deputy Special Envoy Ramzy Ezzeldine Ramzy met today in Geneva with representatives of the Union of Syriac Women and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who briefed on the situation in Syria. They discussed ways to support people in Syria in their daily humanitarian needs. Mr. Ramzy also discussed with the representatives of the Union of Syriac Women perspectives on a political solution to the Syrian conflict which could meet the needs of diverse components, which make up integral parts of the Syrian society.
 
At the end of today's meetings, Mr. Ramzy stressed that, "all should put their differences aside to ensure that aid reaches all those in need, but ultimately only a political solution would allow to address the deepening humanitarian crisis in a sustainable manner." While highlighting the urgent need for a political solution to the Syrian conflict, he added that, "it is critical that women organizations are included in any political process, fully participate in it and contribute to it".4 June
United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Mr. Staffan de Mistura continued his meetings today in the framework of the Geneva Consultations.

He met with the president and members of the political committee of the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces (SOC) in Istanbul.

Mr. de Mistura listened to the views of his interlocutors regarding the operationalization and implementation of the Geneva Communiqué.

Both parties agreed on the importance and urgency of finding a political solution to the current ongoing conflict.

They also concurred on the urgency of an immediate halt of the killing and targeting of civilians.
“My visit to SOC today demonstrates, once again, that the purpose of these Consultations was and remains to give the chance to all Syrians to share their views of what a future Syria should look like,” Mr. de Mistura said.

Meanwhile in Geneva, Deputy Special Envoy Ramzy Ezzeldine Ramzy met with Mr. Samir Aita and Mr. Ziad Tlas who briefed on the deteriorating situation in Syria. Mr. Ramzy also met with a delegation of Japan, led by Ambassador Misako Kaji, who briefed on Japan’s support for the United Nations’ efforts to ameliorate the humanitarian situation in Syria. They discussed the ongoing initiatives to help Syrians reach a political solution to the conflict.

Mr. Ramzy observed that today's meetings in Geneva once again confirmed the desire of the international community, from far and near, to help resolve the Syrian conflict and mitigate its humanitarian consequences. He also noted that continued inaction to end the conflict is only making the military and security situation in Syria more complex.2 June
1 June
30 May
In a press statement issued on 30 May, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, strongly condemned the death of at least 70 civilians in Syria's northern Aleppo province by barrel bombs dropped from government helicopters. "The news of aerial bombing by Syrian helicopters on a civilian market area of the Aleppo neighborhood of Al Shaar deserves the most strong international condemnation," he said. Mr. de Mistura stressed that the protection of civilians during armed conflicts is a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, and applies in all circumstances and without distinction.
29 May
28 May
27 May
24 May
22 May
21 May
12 May
The UN Spokesperson told reporters on 12 May that Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, held consultations with the Chairman of the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change (NCC), Hassan Abdel Azim, as well as with the Chairman of the Building the Syrian State political party, Louay Hussain. At the conclusion of these consultations, Mr. de Mistura stressed that it was critical to reach out to Syrian political actors. “No one more than the Syrians themselves recognize the urgency of bringing the conflict to an end”, he stated. As part of ongoing consultations, the Special Envoy met over the past week with delegations from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and France as well as with former Special Envoy Kofi Annan. Mr. de Mistura also met with various Syrians, including representatives of civil society and religious leaders to hear further views and perspectives on ways to resolve the conflict.