Syria: UN envoy says new France-Russia relation is helpful

PARIS – The U.N. envoy for Syria says a renewed relationship between France and Russia can help encourage a political solution in Syria.

Staffan de Mistura met on Tuesday in Paris with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

De Mistura referred to Russian President Putin’s visit to France a day earlier to meet with newly-elected President Emmanuel Macron.

Both leaders said they don’t want Syria to collapse into a failed state. They agreed that progress could be made through a joint effort which, Macron said, “today we laid the foundations for.”

Le Drian said he agrees with de Mistura that the immediate priority is to “establish an effective and lasting cease-fire in the whole (Syrian) territory.”