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Envoys look to gain momentum for peace in Syria

As world powers seek to sustain momentum for Syria diplomacy amid divisions on the way forward, a former US diplomat urged moving for a cease-fire first before convening talks on Syria’s political future.
United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (L) and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attend a meeting in Moscow, October 21, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR4AYVB

WASHINGTON — The United States and Russia signaled disagreement over whether it was too soon to bring the Syrian parties into the talks, as the UN’s Syria envoy held a flurry of meetings to try to sustain momentum for renewed international diplomacy to end the Syrian war. The continued deep divisions on the way forward on Syria suggest the parties should aim to stop the Syria fighting first before trying to reach a political solution for Syria, which could take years, a veteran US diplomat urged.

If you try to get a political settlement first, “the fighting will go on for years,” veteran diplomat James Dobbins, who served as Barack Obama’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, told Al-Monitor.

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