U.N. has yet to decide whether to attend Russian talks on Syria: Mistura

Western powers and some Arab states believe the conference in Sochi is an attempt to create a separate peace process that would undermine the United Nations' efforts and lay the groundwork for a solution more suitable to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies Russia and Iran.

"The secretary general, Antonio Guterres, is being briefed and will be briefed tonight on the outcome of these Vienna discussions. Then it will be up to him to take the decision what will be the U.N. response to the invitation to attend Sochi," U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said in a statement to reporters.