It expressed thanks for his “tireless commitment” to a political solution for the Syrian conflict and called on the parties to “return to the negotiating table”. It also expressed support for the idea a constitutional committee for Syria.
“In this extremely complex context, Staffan de Mistura has always represented hope and shown great diplomatic finesse,” Swiss UN ambassador in Geneva Valentin Zellweger told the Keystone-SDA news agency. “Switzerland reiterates its support to the United Nations in its search for peace.”
De Mistura, who has been UN special envoy to Syria for more than four years, announced on Wednesday that he would step down at the end of November. The 71-year-old Italian-Swedish diplomat said this was for personal reasons. He said he would use the remaining time to try to make progress on a constitutional committee for Syria which would be tasked with drafting a new constitution.
The Syrian conflict which started in 2011 has left hundreds of thousands dead, while many more have been displaced or fled the country.
More
More
Syria: what will it take to make peace?
This content was published on
Lots of waiting, with very little outcome. Geneva correspondent Imogen Foulkes explains the hard reality of Syrian peace talks going nowhere.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
This content was published on
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), Swissinfo's parent company, must restructure due to financial pressures and to stay competitive in the fast-moving media environment.
This content was published on
There has been a sharp decline in the consumption of single-use disposable plastic bags and reusable plastic bags in the Swiss retail sector.
This content was published on
A biometric Swiss identity card (ID) is expected to be available in Switzerland by the end of 2026. The Federal Office of Police and its federal and cantonal partners are working on a new ID card that features a chip.
Heatwave reduces output at Swiss nuclear power plant by 50%
This content was published on
The ongoing heatwave has forced the Beznau nuclear power plant, which relies on water from the River Aare, to halve its output.
Swiss continue to enjoy high social mobility, study shows
This content was published on
Opportunities for upward social mobility have remained intact in Switzerland since the 1980s. Social mobility is exceptionally high by international comparison, a study shows.
Swiss government affected by cyberattack on health foundation
This content was published on
Switzerland says a ransomware attack on the non-profit health foundation Radix that involved data being stolen and encrypted had also affected the federal administration.
Federal Council agrees to investigation into alleged Swiss-Russian spying affair
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland can open spying investigations into the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (FIS).
Appeal launched against Starlink satellite antennae project planned in Swiss village
This content was published on
A group of Swiss citizens has filed an appeal against plans to install 40 Starlink satellite antennae in the mountain village of Leuk in southern Switzerland.
UBS launches buyback scheme for up to $2 billion in shares
This content was published on
UBS is starting a share buyback programme for up to $2 billion (CHF1.6 billion) in shares, in line with a plan approved at its annual general meeting (AGM) in April, the Swiss bank said on Monday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Syrian civil society meets in Geneva to discuss peace
This content was published on
With war still raging in Syria and official peace talks on hold, a quiet peace initiative is continuing behind the scenes in Geneva.
Syria and mediator trade blame as peace talks fail
This content was published on
Speaking on Swiss public television RTS on Thursday evening, de Mistura said Putin should convince the Bashar Al-Assad government to accept a new constitution and new elections to “win the peace”. Responding in New York, a spokesman for the UN Secretary General reiterated full support for de Mistura. This came as the latest round of…
This content was published on
Here is a short guide to the sixth round of the intra-Syrian peace negotiations, which are taking place in Geneva and set to run from May 16-19.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.