United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura addresses his first news conference at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva October 10, 2014.

U.N. peace envoy Staffan de Mistura proposed Thursday to set up so-called “freeze zones” in war-torn Syria to suspend fighting in some areas and allow humanitarian aid to be delivered.

De Mistura told reporters after meeting with the U.N. Security Council that he did not have a peace plan but rather “an action plan” to ease suffering from the more than three-year war in Syria.

The envoy said the divided city of Aleppo would be a “good candidate” to become a freeze zone, which he did not describe in detail.

“It should be something that freezes the conflict in that area and gives an opportunity for some type of humanitarian improvement and for the people to feel that, at least there, there will not be this type of conflict,” he said.

Aleppo has been divided since a rebel offensive in summer 2012 between government-controlled sectors on its west side and rebel territory on the east.

De Mistura was reporting to the 15-member council after making key visits to Russia and Iran, two countries that have influence with President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

 
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