De Mistura: Brussels Blasts Show ’No Time to Lose’ Reaching Syria Peace

Local Editor

Syria's "peace talks" remained at an impasse Tuesday, even as deadly attacks in Brussels highlighted the urgency of ending the brutal conflict, seen as a trigger for extremist attacks around the world.

In this regard, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura voiced "horror and outrage" at the attacks claimed by Daesh [Arabic acronym for the terrorist "ISIS" group] that killed around 35 people in the Belgian capital Tuesday.

"The tragedy in Brussels ... reminds us that ... we have no time to lose," de Mistura told reporters in Geneva.

"We need to extinguish the fire of war in Syria," he said, insisting that "to fight terrorism, the best formula is to find a solution for political transition in Syria."

For its part, the main opposition umbrella group, known as the High Negotiations Committee [HNC] also stressed the need to rapidly end the five-year conflict, which killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions.

Furthermore, the group's spokeswoman Bassma Kodmani said the UN-brokered Syrian talks were "more vital than ever."

"The Geneva process is today fundamental to reestablishing the global political order and avoiding the chaos that fanatics are threatening us with here in Europe and there in the Middle East," she added in a statement.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team