De Mistura Ends Damascus Visit, Heads to Turkey

Local Editor

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura headed to Turkey via Beirut airport Tuesday after winding up a visit to Damascus were he urged new ceasefires in Syria to build on diplomatic efforts to end the country's four-year war.

Speaking at the end of his Damascus trip Monday, de Mistura said ceasefires would show the political discussions were having an impact.

"What we need is also some facts on the ground, some ceasefires, some reductions of violence," he said in Damascus before traveling overland to Beirut.

Moreover, he mentioned: "That would make a big difference, to give a feeling to the Syrian people that the Vienna atmosphere is producing effects to them."

De Mistura discussed international talks held in Vienna on the Syria conflict with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem on Sunday.

The Vienna talks brought together diplomats from 17 nations, as well as the United Nations and the European Union. However, no Syrian government or opposition representatives were present at the meetings.

Another round of international talks is expected in two weeks' time.

De Mistura has raised previously the possibility of local ceasefires in Syria, but his efforts to apply the idea to second city Aleppo proved fruitless.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team