Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday lambasted the UN envoy for Syria for failing to restart peace talks aimed at ending the brutal five-year conflict. The UN-backed talks, aimed at ending a war that has left more than 280,000 people dead and driven millions from their homes, are in theory set to resume this month.
But de Mistura has said that he wants guarantees of progress before restarting the process. On Monday, de Mistura said a "crucial moment" had been reached in attempts to broker a political settlement, adding that "the key lies in a possible agreement between Russia and the United States". Lavrov said Tuesday this approach was "wrong".
(AFP)