(VOVworld) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Monday that he will study a UN proposal for "freeze zones" in the northern city of Aleppo. Assad’s announcement followed talks with the UN's Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura in Damascus on Monday. Mistura conveyed the proposal to Assad, who called it "worth studying" and said he will personally work to attain the proposal’s aim of returning security to Aleppo.
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| Syria's President Bashar al-Assad meets United Nations Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura in Damascus November 10, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) |
Syria’s state news agency Sana quoted Mistura as saying that he is determined to ensure his mission’s success. Mistura said Aleppo is a “good candidate” to become a “freeze zone”.
The Syrian civil war has already caused 195,000 deaths and brought about a crisis in which 2.5 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries and 10.8 million hungry people are dependent on humanitarian aid.