UN envoy says Syria talks to focus on election

The UN special envoy for Syria says his plan for talks in Geneva, assuming the Syrian government participates, focuses on the end goal of a 2012 road map adopted by major powers — free and fair elections under UN supervision with Syrians everywhere eligible to vote.

Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council that the plan would work backward, saying elections must be preceded by the drafting and popular ratification of a new constitution.

This would put off one of the contentious issues between the government and opposition — the future of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The road map, approved by the Security Council, calls for the creation of a transitional Syrian government with full executive powers followed by the drafting of a new constitution and elections.

De Mistura says the government has not confirmed its attendance at the Geneva talks scheduled to start tomorrow, but the opposition delegation agreed to a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is arriving.

He stresses that “we will not accept any preconditions by either party.”

— AP