UN Syria envoy set to meet 'interesting' Trump team

The UN's special envoy on Syria has said he plans to meet with advisors to US President-elect Donald Trump.

Speaking on Thursday following a closed doors session of the UN Security Council in Washington, Staffan De Mistura said that meetings with Trump advisors would take place in either the US capital or New York.

Discussions would focus on "how President (elect) Trump's team would be able to look at the fight on terrorism in very effective ways", he added.

In an interview with the BBC in November, De Mistura said that he was waiting to see how Trump's Syria policy would unfold following the billionaire property mogul's shock election victory.

"We have all been watching and listening to what he's been saying so far, and what he's been saying is quite interesting... the focus, the priority, is Daesh - fighting terrorism," he said referring to the Islamic State group by its Arabic acronym.

"Secondly, to do, if possible, a deal with Russia. Both points make a lot of sense."

Earlier this week Trump vowed to "destroy" IS while also stating that his administration would carefully consider future US foreign interventions in the Middle East.

He described the current US foreign policy in the Middle East as one of "intervention and chaos".

We have all been watching and listening to what he's been saying so far, and what he's been saying is quite interesting Staffan De Mistura, UN Special Envoy for Syria

"We will stop racing to topple foreign regimes that we know nothing about, that we shouldn't be involved with," said Trump, speaking at an event in Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he introduced his choice for defence secretary, General James "Mad Dog" Mattis.

"Instead, our focus must be on defeating terrorism and destroying [IS], and we will."

Analysts have suggested that in addition to a potential future agreement to combat IS alongside Russia, Trump's affinity to President Vladimir Putin could see his administration agree to a settlement that favours Bashar al-Assad's regime, negotiated through Moscow.

Trump has previously stated that he will withdraw US funding to Syrian rebel groups.

Speaking in November, De Mistura said that he expected to meet with Trump once he had picked a secretary of state something the president-elect has yet to do.

Candidates being considered for the role include former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, retired military officer David H. Petraeus, and Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson.

Our focus must be on defeating terrorism and destroying ISIS, and we will." Donald Trump, US president-elect

The Obama admistration has provided limited training and military hardware to rebel groups in Syria, and currently heads a coalition of international states conducting airstrikes against IS targets in both Syria and Iraq.

In August 2012, President Barack Obama said that the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime in Syria would constitute a "red line" triggering a US military response.

Such calls were reiterated following the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in areas including the Ghoutta suburbs of Damascus in August 2013. 

However, Obama backed down after failing to win congressional support for a US intervention.

Over 400,000 people have been killed in Syria's nearly six year long war, with fighting notably ongoing in Aleppo, where troops loyal to Bashar al-Assad appear to be closing in on a decisive victory in the city.

Agencies contributed to this report.