At Invitation of Russian Federation, Secretary‑General Designates Representative to Attend Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General, having been fully briefed by his Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and taking into account the statement by the Russian Federation that the outcome of the Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue, which will be held in Sochi on 29 and 30 January, would be brought to Geneva as a contribution to the intra-Syrian talks process under the auspices of the United Nations in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015), has decided to accept the invitation of the Russian Federation to send a representative to attend the Sochi Congress.  The Secretary-General has designated Mr. de Mistura for that purpose.

The Secretary-General is confident that the Congress in Sochi will be an important contribution to a revived intra-Syrian talks process under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva, based on the full implementation of the Geneva communiqué of 2012 and Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).