Syria Peace Talks Expected To Last Six Months, U.N. Says

GENEVA (Reuters) - Talks on ending the war in Syria are expected to start on Friday and take six months, the U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told a news conference on Monday.

De Mistura, who hopes to send out invitations on Tuesday, said discussions about who would be invited were still ongoing. He said a first phase of talks would last 2-3 weeks, with a focus on a ceasefire, stopping Islamic State and increasing humanitarian aid. Governance, a constitutional review and future U.N. sponsored elections would also be priorities.

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