WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US Secretary of State John Kerry will chair a UN Security Council meeting on the Syrian conflict on December 18, State Department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Wednesday.
“Secretary will travel to New York tomorrow, he will depart tomorrow for the meetings on Friday to chair the UN Security Council meeting on Syria to reinforce efforts to accelerate an end to the conflict, including necessary formal negotiations between representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition,“ Kirby said.
Kirby said that they expect about 20 participants at the UN Security Council meeting — same ones who took part in the Vienna talks.
The negotiators set a six-month timeframe for Syria to form an interim unity government, while stipulating that elections in Syria should be held within 18 months.
The spokesperson added that Kerry will also host a meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in New York on the same day.
Since 2011, Syria has been in a state of civil war, with the government forces fighting several opposition factions in the country, as well as a number of extremist groups.
