Syrian government refuses UN truce terms for Aleppo
BEIRUT -- The Syrian government refused the UN envoy's latest proposal for a truce in Aleppo on Sunday, calling on insurgents to withdraw and saying it would not grant autonomy to the rebel-held east in exchange for calm.
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said restoring government rule was a matter of "national sovereignty," and that Damascus would not allow the people of eastern Aleppo to be "hostages to 6,000 gunmen."
"We agreed on the need that terrorists should get out of east Aleppo to end the suffering of the civilians in the city," he said.
He spoke after meeting with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, who acknowledged a "major disagreement" with al-Moallem and said a "creative" if interim solution was required to halt the violence.
"We are only proposing that there should not be a radical dramatic change in the administration of Aleppo until there is a political solution," he said.
