CRI听力:UN Syria Envoy Pushes for Peace Solution

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria has met up with Egypt's foreign minister in Cairo as part of continued efforts to find a solution to the crisis in Syria.

Staffan de Mistura says the meeting is constructive, while for his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry says his country supports the peace efforts.

"I met with the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, and listened to his ideas and discussed the regional and international efforts to reach a solution to the Syrian crisis. We value those efforts and we support them in order to stop the violence and destruction of the Syrian people and for the Syrian people to regain their stability."

Earlier, the UN envoy called for an incremental truce in the northern city of Aleppo as a building block for more ceasefires.

Syrian President Bashar Assad says the proposal is worth studying.

But the opposition-backed Free Syrian Army has rejected the idea, saying their troops will continue their fight.

The fresh round of diplomatic efforts to end the 4-year-old conflict in Syria comes as the Islamic State group has captured swathes of territory in the country.

Previous peace initiatives brokered by veteran UN diplomats Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi all ended in failure.