Switzerland: Next Syria talks planned for end of August - UN's de Mistura

The UN Secretary General’s special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said in Geneva on Tuesday that his intention was to resume Intra-Syrian peace talks at the end of August.
Speaking to an audience of journalists de Mistura stated: "Our aim - and let me say very clearly - is to proceed with a third round of Intra-Syrian talks in the end of August. Meanwhile we hope that concrete progress on the Kerry-Lavrov understanding will take visibly place. This will indeed create the right atmosphere, both on the ground and for the Intra-Syrian talks. This is not a pre-condition but we all know and we all agree that such steps - if they take place, and we strongly hope so - will have indeed a strong, positive effect on the environment surrounding the talks."
The UN special envoy for Syria also commented on the trilateral meeting which invovled UN staff: "The so-called trilateral meeting - at the request of both the two co-chairs - Russia and America - which took place today with us present, because the co-chairs asked us to be involved, has ended today. Now that doesn't mean that homework needs to be done by technical delegations - both Russian and America - who will be continuing meeting in the next few days on the steps which have been agreed in Moscow between Kerry and Lavrov."
He also expressed sadness at the recent violence in Aleppo and Damascus but stated the importance of resuming talks regardless: "The bombing, the rocket by mortar shelling in the centre of Damascus and the horrible events which have taken place in the hospitals in Aleppo were very much on the radar screen and therefore they are part of what everyone feels is a sense of urgency in order to address those steps that are being discussed in Moscow. So the talks are certainly not going to wait for the improvement in Aleppo and Damascus. We really hope that meanwhile, even tomorrow - the sooner the better - there will be some improvement there."