UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura is interviewed by Xinhua News Agency in Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 6, 2017. Russian and Turkish-backed Syria talks to take place in the Kazakh capital of Astana are expected to start on Jan. 23, Staffan de Mistura told Xinhua Friday, adding that negotiations could cement a fragile ceasefire in place in the war-torn country since last week. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
