Syria peace talks sponsored by the United Nations are expected to begin on Friday and last for six months, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura told Reuters in a press conference on Monday.
De Mistura hopes to issue invitations to participants on Tuesday, but said discussions about which parties would be invited were still ongoing.
The first phase of talks are planned to last two to three weeks, with a focus on implementing a ceasefire, stopping Daesh, and increasing humanitarian aid on the ground, de Mistrua added. Governance, a constitutional review, and future UN-sponsored elections - a long-term goal of the talks - would also be priorities.
