Proposed UN statement would back preparatory talks on Syria

A draft UN Security Council statement that could be adopted this week strongly backs intensive preparatory talks on key issues to restore peace to conflict-torn Syria, including a political transition and fighting terrorism.
UN diplomats said a deadline of noon today EDT (1600 GMT) has been set for council members to raise objections to the proposed presidential statement, which was obtained yesterday by The Associated Press. If there are none, it could be adopted today afternoon, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because consultations have been private.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters last Friday there was "a high possibility" that the deeply divided council would endorse the recently announced plan by U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura aimed at setting the stage for new peace talks to end the Syrian war.

"It would be the first exclusively political document on the Syrian crisis adopted by consensus," Churkin said.
De Mistura's plan and the possible Security Council statement come at a time of increasing diplomatic activity aimed at ending the Syrian conflict, now in its fifth year, which has killed at least 250,000 people and sparked the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today.
The nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers appears to have opened the way for a series of diplomatic moves on Syria including recent talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and yesterday's meeting in Moscow between Lavrov and the Saudi foreign minister.

But key differences remain especially over Syrian President Bashar Assad who shows no sign of wanting to step aside.

The draft Security Council statement demands that all parties in Syria "work urgently" toward fully implementing the roadmap to peace adopted by key nations in Geneva in June 2012 which calls for the formation of a transitional government with full executive powers "on the basis of mutual consent."
The roadmap ends with elections and would require Assad, whose government is backed by Russia and Iran, to relinquish power at some unspecified point.
Lavrov strongly warned yesterday against trying to unseat Assad, but that remains the goal of Syrian rebels as well as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and key Western nations.

The draft council statement supports de Mistura's approach and urges all parties "to engage in good faith" with him.