Summary UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has said that Syrian vote would jeopardize peace efforts.
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The international mediator on Syria warned Thursday that if Damascus holds a presidential election, it would jeopardize efforts to negotiate an end to the country's three-year civil war.
"If there is an election, my suspicion is the opposition, all the oppositions will probably not be interested in talking to the government," said UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.
Damascus has not officially announced a presidential election but Bashar al-Assad is expected to seek a new seven-year term in the middle of this year despite the raging conflict.
The war has killed more than 140,000 people and displaced millions since the unrest began in March 2011.
Brahimi on Thursday briefed the UN Security Council on the mediation process and the collapse in February of a second round of peace talks between the Syrian government and the opposition.
"We would like the help of the Council and all those who can help to make sure that if and when we have a third round it will be a little bit more productive than the second one," he said.
Brahimi told reporters that he drew the Security Council's attention to the situation, saying it was "up to them to see if they can do something."
