MOSCOW. July 21 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov says there may be contacts with new envoy of the UN secretary general for Syria, Italian diplomat Staffan de Mistura in the near future.
"It is much too early to speak about that although we have made some plans. These plans may be implemented shortly," he said in an interview with Interfax as to when his first meeting with de Mistura could take place.
"We are ready to hold consultations but, most importantly, this process is not a goal in itself; it is necessary to solve practical issues, primarily to resume a direct dialogue between the Syrian sides," the diplomat said.