President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday received UN Special Envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura and the accompanying delegation. During the meeting, the two sides discussed in a positive and constructive manner the new details in de Mistura’s plan on freezing fighting in Aleppo. President al-Assad reiterated Syria’s commitment to supporting any initiative or idea that helps to resolve the crisis and to preserve the lives of citizens and state establishments. He also stressed the need to pressure all states to implement Security Council resolutions nos. 2170 and 2178 on stopping the funding of terrorists and their flow into Syria. For his part, de Mistura voiced hope that all sides would cooperate and support his suggestion on restoring security to Aleppo, so that it may be a starting point to restore security and stability to the entirety of Syria. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem, Presidential Political and Media Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban, Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad, and Advisor to the Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous. Later, de Mistura said in a brief statement to journalists before leaving Damascus that he held extensive talks with President Bashar al-Assad during the two days of his visit, and that his mission is currently focusing on facilitating the political process to reach a political solution for the crisis in Syria. De Mistura said he discussed his suggestion on freezing fighting in Aleppo, and that he can’t offer further details on the discussions. He said he is currently working towards reducing the violence affecting the Syrian people and towards delivering humanitarian aid to them in a controlled manner and at an increasing rate, adding that he will submit a report to the UN Secretary-General and participate in a Security Council meeting on Syria on February 17th, giving no further details.