Germany can mediate with Moscow over Syria, foreign minister says

Germany has a special role in the peace process, remarks German foreign minister

BERLIN: Germany has a special intermediary role allowing it to keep open the window for dialogue with Russia on the Syrian crisis, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday.

At a Berlin news conference alongside Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Maas also said the stalled Syrian peace process would be discussed at the weekend's Toronto summit of G-7 foreign ministers.

"We have to use this moment to get the political process going again," he said of the meeting, where Russia will not be present.

"We also need Russia for this dialogue," he added,
suggesting Germany's traditionally closer relationship with
Russia could help facilitate this.