The United Nation's new special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, arrived in Damascus on Tuesday (January 15) for his first visit since his appointment.
Pedersen told reporters he hoped to have productive talks during his three-day visit.
He is expected to meet Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem and his deputy Faisal Mekdad.
Pedersen is the fourth envoy to Syria since the war started in 2011, taking over from Staffan de Mistura, who stepped down on December 31 after four years.
Following his resignation, de Mistura said he expected Pedersen to build on his work and “focus on the purely political aspect” at the conflict's end.