++EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: This material was shot by an AP Television contractor working within Syrian government media guidelines.++
AP Television
Damascus, Syria - 16 January 2017
1. Various of Souq Al-Hamidiyah
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Marwan Ayesh, 61 year-old retired engineer:
"Based on statements, the newspapers and journalism coming out of the US and Britain, Trump's administration will play a positive role in changing the situation in Syria and in cooperation with Russia in fighting terrorists and Daesh. It isn't the president himself who makes the decisions, it is the organisations around him who do that."
AP Television
Aleppo, Syria - 19 January 2017
3. Various of destruction in central Aleppo
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammed Otari, 60 year old retired vet:
"Based on past experiences of former American presidents, nothing will happen for this country or other countries, particularly for Arabs. They (American presidents) are always allies of Israel and work for the interest of Israel. So I don't expect much, but we hope."
5. Various of destroyed buildings
6. Wide of people walking through street wreckage
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdul-Salam Karazeh, 60 year-old food products merchant:
"We hope that American president Trump will be more realistic and frank and fight terrorism in Syria and outside Syria. We in Syria have suffered so much destruction and were harmed from terrorism, as you see. We hope that he will be better and will be authentic in the fight against terrorism not only in words but in actions."
8. Various of destroyed buildings
AP Television
Damascus, Syria - 16 January 2017
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Alaa Asfari, political analyst :
"I think Trump is not interested in who is head of the Syrian state. Trump's priority is firstly to combat extremism in America. Obama intervened and tried to help many of the terrorists while Trump says that he will not support them and will not support other countries that back terrorism in Syria. He (Trump) is concerned that terrorism is not exported and that all terrorists who are fighting now in Syria don't go to Europe and from there to his country. Therefore there is some kind of a vision that could be positive and help Syria regarding comprehensive calm in the country."
AP Television
Aleppo, Syria - 19 January 2017
10. Boys filming destruction
11. Pull focus smartphone filming destruction
12. Boys walking past wreckage
LEAD IN:
Differing opinions in Syria about Donald Trump's upcoming presidency highlight the divisions between Damascus and Aleppo.
STORY-LINE:
The iconic Souq Al-Hamidiyah is one of the main shopping areas in the Syrian capital Damascus. There are few signs of war here - it looks in 2017 much like it did before the Syrian Civil War began in 2011.
The Syrian regime has retained control of Damascus, sparing it much of the destruction that has been visited upon the country's other metropolis, Aleppo.
Donald Trump's impending presidency could impact on this country that has effectively been the site of a six year proxy war between Russia and the West.
Disappointed with Barack Obama's handling of the Syrian crisis, some locals hope the new president could have a positive impact on Syria.
"Based on statements, the newspapers and journalism coming out of the US and Britain, Trump's administration will play a positive role in changing the situation in Syria and in cooperation with Russia in fighting terrorists and Daesh," believes retired engineer Marwan Ayesh.
In Aleppo opinions are varied. Most of the city's infrastructure has been destroyed and, worn down by war, many residents have little hope of change on the horizon.
"Based on past experiences of former American presidents, nothing will happen for this country or other countries, particularly for Arabs. They (American presidents) are always allies of Israel and work for the interest of Israel. So I don't expect much, but we hope," says retired vet Mohammed Otari.
While some believe that Trump's close relationship with Israel will come at the expense of Syria, they hope that Trump's cooperation with Russia, one of the main backers of President Assad, might help speed up a solution. Some also see Trump as committed to fighting the terrorism that is blighting Syria and the region.
"We hope that American president Trump will be more realistic and frank and fight terrorism in Syria and outside Syria. We in Syria have suffered so much destruction and were harmed from terrorism, as you see. We hope that he will be better and will be authentic in the fight against terrorism not only in words but in actions," says merchant Abdul-Salam Karazeh.
Trump has raised the possibility of a broad new US partnership with Vladimir Putin's increasingly authoritarian Russia and has even hinted at aligning with Assad, which would amount to a dramatic reversal from years of the Obama administration's calls for Assad's removal. Russia's intervention since September 2015 has dramatically shored up Assad's position.
Syria is the foremost test of Trump's promise of a return to a hard-headed realpolitik and could quickly show whether America is truly abandoning democracy promotion abroad.
Political analyst Alaa Asfari believes Trump is motivated by domestic concerns.
"Trump's priority is firstly to combat extremism in America. He is concerned that terrorism is not exported and that all terrorists who are fighting now in Syria don't go to Europe and from there to his country," he says.
Widespread evidence of torture, chemical weapons attacks and other war crimes by Assad's forces made a partnership unfeasible for Obama and most of America's foreign policy establishment.
But the US and its coalition of over 50 countries fighting the Islamic State need a partner on the ground capable of reclaiming and holding territory.
Trump has said Assad may be "bad", but the rebels fighting to topple him "could be worse", while Assad recently suggested Trump could be a "natural ally" for Syria.
