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GENEVA / SYRIA DE MISTURA
STORY: GENEVA / SYRIA DE MISTURA
TRT: 2:27
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 6 SEPTERMBER 2017, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. External shot, UN Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, Staffan de Mistura arriving at Press stakeout flanked by advisers, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
3. Wide shot, Staffan de Mistura on podium, preparing to address Press, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria:
“That’s why when I say that that we are now at the moment of truth very soon and where we hope that those countries who can influence the government to say, ‘Now is the time to negotiate.’ Of course the military situation has been improving but it is time to negotiate. And for the opposition to do the same in a realistic, unified way; that is going to be very soon, after Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zour.”
5. Close up, journalist
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria:
“What I do know - I cannot go into much of the details – there are different countries who are planning various initiatives which may be an opportunity for discussing Syria and above all how to stabilise the political situation inside Syria. And in order to accelerate the political process along to 2254, so GA may be quite an opportunity for at least addressing this aspect.”
7. Close up, journalist
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria:
“We do plan and I do confirm it, to actually move forward with the plan to have serious negotiations in October between the government and the opposition, hopefully by that time recalibrated in a unified way and with a pragmatic approach.”
9. Close up, journalist
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria:
“And the facts is, are that Deir-ez-Zour is almost liberated – in fact is, as far as we are concerned liberated - it’s a matter of a few hours; and the next one is going to be Raqqa, it’s a matter of days, weeks, I can’t tell you, ‘it’s more difficult because it is inside a city. Deir-ez-Zour was surrounded as you know by Daesh and therefore there was no need of street-by-street fighting. Raqqa is more complicated but it is also in my modest opinion and wishes, imminent. Well, when that will take place in a short time, that is the moment of truth.”
11. Close-up, mobile phone
12. Wide shot, TV camera operator filming Staffan de Mistura on podium
UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura said ISIL or Daesh fighters in two key Syrian towns are nearing defeat and when that happens it could be the “moment of truth” for the future of the country.
Speaking to journalists in Geneva today (06 Sep), the veteran negotiator said that Deir-ez-Zour was essentially liberated from the extremists.
Raqqa, De Mistura added, was only days or weeks away from freedom.
“The facts are that Deir-ez-Zour is almost liberated – in fact is, as far as we are concerned liberated - it’s a matter of a few hours; and the next one is going to be Raqqa, it’s a matter of days, weeks, I can’t tell you, It’s more difficult because it’s inside a city. Deir-ez-Zour was surrounded as you know by Daesh so and therefore there was no need of street-by-street fighting. Raqqa is more complicated but it is also in my modest opinion and wishes, imminent. Well, when that will take place in a short time, that is the moment of truth.”
The Syria Envoy also said that he intended to hold “serious negotiations in October” between the government and its opponents.
These UN-led Intra-Syrian talks are expected follow a new round of ceasefire discussions in the Kazakh capital Astana, between Russia, Turkey and Iran.
All three countries have a hand in the Syrian conflict – which began in 2011.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced.
After welcoming the Astana initiative and crediting it with introducing several de-escalation zones inside the war-torn country, Mr de Mistura said he hoped it would also secure a ceasefire in Idlib.
The situation in the north-western governorate is complicated by the presence of some two million displaced Syrians – and the fact that former Al-Nusra fighters are gaining ground there.
It remains imperative that there is “not a new Aleppo in Idlib”, the UN Special Envoy said, adding that what was needed next was a national ceasefire. This could only be implemented at a political level after UN-led negotiations between the warring parties, the Special Envoy insisted.
One potential sticking point is the lack of a unified opposition - an issue raised by the Syrian government. But Staffan de Mistura said he hoped that the three main opposition groups would come together by the time the talks begin, and that that they would be adopt a “pragmatic approach” based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254. This calls for constitutional reform, powersharing and UN-supervised elections, among other things.
On the government of Syria, De Mistura urged it to come to the negotiating table once victory is declared in Deir-ez-Zour and Raqqa. Not doing so would leave the country open to years of “low-level” insurgency and Syria’s reconstruction delayed, he said.
The Special Envoy’s comments come ahead of the UN’s General Assembly meeting in New York beginning next Tuesday.
The annual gathering of all UN Member States could also provide an opportunity for peace in Syria, he said: “What I do know - I cannot go into much of the details – there are different countries who are planning various initiatives which may be an opportunity for discussing Syria and above all how to stabilise the political situation inside Syria. And in order to accelerate the political process along to 2254, so GA may be quite an opportunity for at least addressing this aspect.”
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