Damascus to resume talks with UN envoy on Monday

Syria's chief negotiator in peace talks plans to resume talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria early next week

Bashar al-Ja’afari, who also serves as Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, made the remarks at a news conference after the government delegation's meeting with UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura on Friday.

"We agreed with the (UN) Special Envoy (Staffan de Mistura) that we meet once again on Monday at 11 o'clock, and devote the session to discuss our modifications on the paper submitted by the Special Envoy," he said, adding that the two sides discussed humanitarian issues during Friday’s meeting.

Ja’afari also commented on the humanitarian situation in Syria after shipments of medical and food supplies were delivered to 120,000 people in and near the militant-held town of Rastan, located 25 km, north of Homs, on Thursday.

"90 percent of these 6.5 million (internally displaced people) now reside in government-controlled areas. They all receive humanitarian aid and 1.7 million have returned to the towns they originally lived in before being displaced," he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ja'afari once again accused Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorism in Syria.

He also condemned the "illegal coercive sanctions" imposed by major powers against his country.

"This includes a boycott of Syrian banks and preventing investment in Syria. It would seem the only investment done in Syria is investment in terrorism, it looks like a winning project," he said.

SS