MOSCOW, Russia – Elections in Syria observed by the United Nations should be held in 18 months, the UN's Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said ahead of a new round of peace talks set to begin Monday, March 14.
"New elections... should be held 18 months from the start of talks, that is from March 14," de Mistura told Russia's RIA Novosti state news agency on Friday.
"The elections, both presidential and parliamentary, will be under UN observation," he said in comments translated into Russian.
The UN is hoping to restart peace talks that collapsed last month, building on a ceasefire that has led to the first significant decline in violence in Syria's 5-year civil war.
The focus will be the planned formation of a new government, the drafting of a new constitution and the organization of fresh presidential and parliamentary elections within 18 months.
The UN envoy said the first question on the agenda was "an inclusive new government" followed by a new constitution and elections.
"I hope that during the first stage of talks, we reach progress at least on the first question, it doesn't matter whether this is on paper," de Mistura was quoted as saying.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday urged de Mistura to include Kurds in the upcoming talks.
"I am convinced that Staffan de Mistura should take such a decision," Lavrov told reporters at a joint news conference in Moscow with his Chinese counterpart.
"Launching negotiations without the participation of this group would be a sign of weakness from the international community," Lavrov said.
'Most serious infringement'
De Mistura told RIA Novosti that "we are not sending out new invitations" to the upcoming talks, in response to a question on broadening opposition participation.
At the same time, he stressed the importance of "ensuring as far as possible inclusiveness and participation of all Syrians who can make a contribution to Syria's future."
Lavrov argued that holding talks on forming a new ruling structure in Syria to prepare constitutional reform and elections without Kurds would be "a most serious infringement of the rights of a large and significant group living in Syria."
Kurds are "allies both of the US coalition and Russia" and control at least 15% of Syrian territory," Lavrov added.
Lavrov hit out at Turkey, saying that "only Turks are blocking the invitation of Kurds from the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD)," criticizing this as "an ultimatum."
Turkey accuses the PYD of being the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
The issue of the Syrian Kurds has caused a rare rift between Ankara and Washington.
The United States regards the armed wing of the PYD as the most effective fighting force on the ground against Islamic State jihadists and has resisted Turkish pressure to classify the group as a terror organization. – Rappler.com