DUSHANBE, 18.01.2017. /NIAT “Khovar”/. The United Nations has received an invitation for the upcoming Astana peace talks on Syria and has designated a team to attend the meeting, Xinhua news agency reports citing UN spokesperson Farhan Haq.

Haq said the office of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has received an invitation to Astana. «The Special Envoy has designated a team led by his Deputy, Ramzy E. Ramzy, and his political director, Robert Dann, to represent the UN at the meeting,» he added.

A ceasefire agreement was reached between the Syrian government and oppositions at the end of last year after intense diplomatic efforts by Russia, Turkey and other countries. The new round of peace talks in Astana of Kazakhstan was scheduled on January 23.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on December 31 to welcome efforts by Russia and Turkey to end violence in Syria and start a political process.

The council viewed the peace talks in Astana «as an important part of the Syrian-led political process and an important step ahead of the resumption of negotiations,» the resolution said.