“U.N. officials have been repeatedly expressing their frustration and disappointment at the lack of progress in addressing the grave humanitarian situation and growing body of evidence pointing to war crimes and crimes against humanity,” it said.
It also went on to say that there was a “lack of full implementation of the Security Council presidential statement date Oct. 2, 2013,” which is “unacceptable.”
In a 2013 statement, the Security Council repeated its calls for the immediate humanitarian assistance to Syrians, especially those who live across the conflict lines.
On Saturday, Syria’s Red Crescent said it delivered food and medical aid to the rebel-held areas of Homs that have been under siege by government troops for more than 600 days.
Saudi Arabia’s letter highlighted the Syrian rivals’ inability to reach to an agreement.
“Although the parties agreed to reconvene in Geneva on Feb. 10 of 2014 for the second round of talks, the inability to reach an agreement in the first round to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people is an urgent issue of serious concern for the international community.”
On Friday however, in a sign of progress, resident of the besieged city of Homs were evacuated, executing the first stage of a deal mediated by the United Nations that stipulates a three-day ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to enter the city.
On Sunday, a total of 600 people were evacuated from Homs, the Associated Press reported.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that “more than 500 civilians” were evacuated Sunday, in compliance with the U.N. deal.
Television footage showed women, children and elderly men getting off the buses that brought them out of the besieged areas.
- Meanwhile, the Syrian delegation arrived in Switzerland on Sunday to begin a second round of peace talks with the opposition.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/02/09/Saudi-Arabia-urges-for-an-urgent-meeting-over-Syria.html
9/2/14
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Six hundred Syrians flee besieged Old Homs in aid convoy....
ReplyDelete(Reuters) - Six hundred people left the besieged ruins of rebel-held central Homs on Sunday, escaping more than a year of hunger and deprivation caused by one of the most protracted blockades of Syria's devastating conflict.
The evacuees, mainly women, children and old men, were brought out by the United Nations and Syrian Red Crescent on the third day of an operation during which the aid convoys came under fire and were briefly trapped themselves in the city.
Video footage from inside Homs showed scores of residents, carrying a few bags of possessions, rushing across an open expanse of no-man's land towards 10 white vehicles with U.N. markings. Gunshots could be heard as they raced to the cars.
"The last vehicle has arrived and the total is 611 people," Homs governor Talal Barazi told regional Arab broadcaster Al Mayadeen at a meeting point for evacuees outside the city.
The Red Crescent confirmed that around 600 people were evacuated and said 60 food parcels and more than a ton of flour were delivered to the Old City............http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/09/us-syria-crisis-homs-idUSBREA170S120140209?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews
9/2/14
Brahimi to open second round of Geneva-2 talks to end crisis in Syria....
ReplyDeleteSyria's warring sides headed Monday into a new round of peace talks in Geneva, 10 days after a debut session that ended with the agreement to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Homs. After government and opposition delegates arrived at their Geneva hotels Sunday, they held separate closed-door meetings with UN and Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi.
The Algerian veteran peacemaker, who in late January brought the two sides to the table for the first time since the war began in 2011, is scheduled to hold talks with the opposition at 10:00 am (09:00 GMT) Monday.
Then at 11:30, he is to meet with the government delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.
It was not clear if the two sides would sit down together Monday for a meeting under the auspices of Brahimi, nor how many days the round was expected to last.
The so-called Geneva-2 talks - initiated by Russia and backed by the US - mark the biggest international push to end the war...................http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_10/Brahimi-to-open-second-round-of-Geneva-2-talks-to-end-crisis-in-Syria-1587/
10/2/14