A United Nations spokesman says the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura hopes the Syrian peace talks can resume in Geneva in May.

Ahmad Fawzi said the meeting of the International Syria Support Group is expected to be held on May the 17th. The ISSG is a 17-nation group backing Syria peace talks, and includes representatives from China, France, Turkey, Russia, and the US.

However, the UN spokesman said that there is as yet no official date for resuming the talks. But he said that de Mistura is working hard with Russia, the US and other ISSG members to activate the cessation of hostilities in order to resume the dialogue.

Fawzi also said that the UN views the Russian-US joint statement issued on May the 9th as a positive development.