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1st LD: UN envoy says "substantial differences" remain with Syria gov't

Xinhua, November 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said Sunday that he has "substantial" differences" with the Syrian government regarding solving the situation in Syria's northern city of Aleppo.

The difference, Mistura said, is about the Syrian forces' bombing of hospitals in the rebel-held part east of Aleppo, as Mistura said that the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem totally denied the claims.

"I called for a halt of all aerial bombing on hospitals," Mistura told reporters in a press conference on Sunday evening.

The envoy said that he suggests sending a fact finding mission to Aleppo to look into the claims about the hospital bombings.

Meanwhile, Mistura highlighted some items in the UN "humanitarian" plan for Aleppo.

The plan includes medical evacuation of 200 civilians, after receiving reports about the hospitals bombing.

It also includes entering medical aid to the civilians who are unable to leave, as well as delivering food aid to eastern Aleppo.

Additionally, the plan also urge for an international rotation for doctors in eastern Aleppo, due to the lack of medical personnel in eastern Aleppo as a result of the shelling.

Mistura said the Syrian government has not yet agreed on the plan, while the rebels in eastern Aleppo gave an initial approval.

He also touched upon UN proposals for ending the violence in Aleppo, firstly starting by stopping the bombings from all warring parties.

Secondly, the evacuation of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and civilians who want to follow their leads.

Other militants who want to stay can remain there but not Nusra, Mistura stressed.

The envoy also clarified that he had suggested local administration for the rebels in eastern Aleppo, not autonomy, adding that the foreign minister rejected this idea.

"Moallem rejected a local administration in eastern Aleppo and my answer was clear that we respect the principle of Syria sovereignty," Mistura said.

Following their meeting earlier on Sunday, al-Moallem said his government rejected the UN envoy's proposal for rebel autonomy in eastern Aleppo.

The foreign minister clarified that a decision was made in Damascus that all of Aleppo must return under government control.

Aleppo, Syria's largest city and one time economic hub, is currently the center of international powers' attention as the UN attempts to ease the tough humanitarian situation there.

However, perspectives differ between the government and the UN as the government views the evacuation of rebels as a priority for restoring security in Aleppo, while the UN envoy apparently has other plans. Endit