France, Britain push UN on Syria airdrops

France and Britain urged the United Nations on Wednesday to begin humanitarian aid airdrops in Syria ahead of a Security Council meeting called to discuss the crisis in besieged areas.

The call for action came despite land deliveries of aid supplies to two towns besieged by Syrian government forces where civilians are facing food shortages.

A convoy entered the town of Daraya for the first time since 2012 on Wednesday and a second delivery reached Moadamiyeh for the first time since March.

Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin welcomed the aid deliveries as a positive step and suggested that plans to airdrop humanitarian relief could be put on hold for now.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre, who holds the council presidency this month, said access to the towns and villages under siege remained blocked and blamed the Syrian regime.

"France is asking the United Nations and in particular the WFP to begin humanitarian airdrops for all the areas in need, beginning with Daraya, Moadamiyeh and Madaya, where the civilian population including children risks dying of hunger," Delattre told a press conference...
 [i24news.tv]
2/6/16