The war in Syria drags on, taking hundreds of thousands of lives and displacing millions of people. The conflict has created a power vacuum being filled by ISIS and other jihadist groups, while also serving as a proxy for the clashing geo-political strategic interests of Russia, the United States, Iran and other regional players. The United Nations has been helpless in trying to bring any order out of the chaos. Two special envoys for Syria, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi, gave up altogether. The third envoy currently tilting at windmills is Staffan de Mistura. Mr.de Mistura told reporters, after briefing the Security Council June 29th on the current situation in Syria, that the time was not yet ripe to resume intra-Syrian talks on forming a transitional government. There have been two previous inconclusive rounds of talks. The last round was suspended in April. The “critical mass” for new talks is missing, Mr.de Mistura said. A negotiated “cessation of hostilities” has fallen apart, with violence on the uptick. Access for aid workers to deliver much needed humanitarian supplies to besieged areas has improved somewhat, but is still woefully inadequate to meet the critical needs of trapped civilians for food and medical assistance.

---

Support Canada Free Press

---