Denis Balibouse/ReutersDismissed by critics as a diplomatic dandy, hailed by allies as a creative consensus-builder, Staffan de Mistura takes the hot seat in Geneva on Monday as the man in charge of forging peace in Syria.
In an impeccable suit and pince-nez spectacles, the Swedish-Italian diplomat looks as though he’d be more comfortable strolling through Geneva’s quaint Old Town rather than refereeing a war that has killed more than 250,000 people.
But de Mistura, whose other roles include being Swedish consul on the Italian isle of Capri, has come closer than anyone else to negotiating an end to the Syrian civil war.
The …read more
Source: Business Insider
