U.N. says it hopes to launch Syria peace talks on Jan. 25

The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, hopes to convene talks between the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition on Jan. 25 in Geneva, his office said Saturday.

De Mistura has “intensified efforts” towards convening the talks on the target date, and “counts on full cooperation of all the relevant Syrian parties in this process,” the statement said, adding: “Continuing developments on the ground should not be allowed to derail it.”