Syrian President Bashar al-Assad indicated Monday he might consider a halt in fighting in the city of Aleppo to allow U.N. humanitarian aid into the beleaguered city , according to Syrian state-run SANA news agency . Aleppo is Syria 's largest city , and rebels fighting the al-Assad regime still have a strong hold in parts of the city . Isis is also a threat in areas outside of Aleppo . Al-Assad met Monday in Damascus with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura to discuss a U.N. proposal for a fighting `` freeze , '' which was first presented to the U.N. Security Council last month . A U.N. statement called the meeting a `` constructive '' discussion . The plan `` merits consideration , '' al-Assad said after the meeting , according to the Syrian state-run news agency SANA . Aleppo would only be the first local `` freeze '' in Syria under the U.N. plan . `` The proposed 'freezes ' as envisaged by the United Nations are intended first and foremost to lead to a de-escalation of violence , starting from specific areas with a national impact , and allow for return to some normalcy for the civilians caught in the conflict , '' the U.N Statement said .
Bashar al-Assad says a UN plan to `` freeze '' fighting in Aleppo `` merits consideration '' UN plan calls for local `` freeze '' zones to allow humanitarian aid . UN envoy calls talks with al-Assad `` constructive '' Parts of Aleppo are still a stronghold for Syrian rebels .