United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura said Friday the Syrian people, not foreigners, should decide the fate of their President Bashar al-Assad.

United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura said Friday the Syrian people, not foreigners, should decide the fate of their President Bashar al-Assad.

"Can't we leave the Syrians to actually decide on that? Why should we be saying in advance what the Syrians should say, as long as they have the freedom and the opportunity of saying so?" de Mistura told France 24 TV.

"We say that it is supposed to be a solution Syrian-led, Syrian-owned," he added.

De Mistura said he remained optimistic about the ceasefire that came into force last weekend, despite continued breaches.

He said 115,000 people had now received aid.