2nd LD Writethru: UN envoy sees hope of political solution to Syrian crisis

There is "no illusion," but still "some hope" for a political solution to the ongoing crisis in Syria, Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for Syria, said here Tuesday.

"The government of Syria has indicated to me its willingness to halt all aerial bombing, all sorts and all types of aerial bombing and artillery shelling for a period of six weeks all over the city of Aleppo from the date which will be announced by Damascus," de Mistura told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council behind closed doors.

"I have requested the government of Syria to facilitate a UN mission to identify one district inside Aleppo in order to use it as an example of what could be the benefit for the population if there is a peace," he said.

It was de Mistura's first council briefing since he explained his "freeze battle" plan in October 2014, and council members wanted to know what kind of support, if any, it has received from Syrian President Bashar Assad.

De Mistura has put forward an "action plan" for Syria proposing to "freeze" fighting in local areas to allow for aid deliveries and to pave the way for peace talks.

On Feb, 11, the Syrian president met with de Mistura and they discussed "new details" of the latter's initial plan to achieve a cessation of battles in the northern city of Aleppo, according to the state news agency SANA.

The atmosphere of the discussion was "positive and constructive," said SANA, citing Assad as stressing his leadership's keenness to support any initiative that could be conducive to resolving the Syrian crisis and preserve lives of Syrians and the state institutions.

Assad also called on the international community to implement the UN resolutions on halting and curbing the funds and the flow of terrorists into Syria.

For his part, de Mistura voiced his hope for all parties concerned to support his proposal for restoring security to Aleppo.

"I plan, therefore, to proceed to Damascus and hopefully Aleppo as soon as possible," de Mistura said. "I will also send a preparatory team to Aleppo as soon as possible."

On Monday, seven people were killed and many others wounded by fresh rebel mortar shelling on a government-controlled district in Syria's northern governorate of Aleppo, according to the official Syrian TV.

The shelling targeted the government-controlled al-Seryan district in the western part of Aleppo, said the report, accusing "terrorists" of being behind the shelling. Aleppo is divided into a rebel-controlled west and a government-held east.

"Let me be frank, I have no illusions because based on past experiences, this will be a difficult issue to be achieved," de Mistura said.

"Meanwhile, we also pursue the political process, which Cairo, Moscow have generated and actually built on it within the UN initiative," he said, referring to the political settlement based on the Geneva Communique.

The Geneva Communique, adopted after the first international meeting on Syria on June 30, 2012, called for the creation of a transitional government that would lead to holding of elections. The communique has long been seen as the political basis for peace talks on the Syrian crisis.

More than 200,000 people have been reportedly killed in the Syrian conflict, now in its fourth year. Endi