UN envoy de Mistura in Sochi, takes part in Syrian Congress of National Dialogue

The UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, arrived in Sochi, Russia, via a regular flight from Moscow on Monday to attend the Syrian Congress of National Dialogue, TASS said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decided on January 27 to send de Mistura to the congress, and Moscow welcomed the move. The envoy earlier expressed hope that the gathering in Sochi will help galvanize the Geneva process on Syria. The Syrian Congress of National Dialogue is being held in Sochi on January 29-30. Organizers say that about 1,600 delegates representing all social strata in Syria were invited to the forum. All major regional and international external players were invited as observers.