The resolution was supported by 13 member nations. Russia, Bolivia and China abstained.
The document sanctions continuation of the so-called trans-border operation for another year. In November, Russia demanded the scheme of humanitarian deliveries to Syria be reviewed as it "infringes upon Syria’s sovereignty and runs counter to the principles of emergency humanitarian assistance." Apart from that, Moscow voiced concern over the fact that relief aid was being delivered only to areas controlled by armed groups.
Today’s resolution requests UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres make review of trans-border humanitarian operations and issue recommendations on how to strengthen the mechanism of monitoring cargoes crossing Syria’s borders.
- Apart from that, the resolution binds the secretary general to inform the Security Council once a month about how many humanitarian cargoes were delivered and where they went.
After the UN Security Council meeting, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov said that Moscow had not vetoed the resolution as it was guided by the interests of the Syrians who are in need of humanitarian assistance. At the same time, he noted that not all of Russia’s concerns had been taken into account and talks on the draft resolution could have been continued to finally reach a consensus. He described the mechanism of trans-border operations in Syria as "rudimentary" and called on the United Nations to begin to roll it back.
[tass.com]
19/12/17
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
Acting Charge d' Affairs of the Syrian permanent delegation to the United Nations Munzer Munzer has stressed that the armed groups in eastern Ghouta in Damascus Countryside are besieging civilians, using them as human shields and preventing their access to humanitarian aid...
ReplyDeleteHe pointed out that the Syrian government has stressed that the UN staff working in Syria should avoid dealing with any "separatist entities" or illegal "local councils" or unlicensed non-government organizations, as many of these bodies have close links with armed terrorist groups.
Munzer also said that the Syrian government is astonished at using terms like "besieged areas" by those who prepared the report when talking about the situation in Eastern Ghouta, while they keep ignoring the fact that the armed groups in these area are besieging civilians, using them as human shields and preventing their access to humanitarian aid. The armed groups capture the aid convoys and distribute their contents on the groups' members and sell them in high prices to needy people, he clarified.
He renewed the Syrian government's call on those who prepared the report to talk openly about the deeply negative impacts of the unilateral economic sanctions imposed by the United States, the EU and some other countries on Syria, stressing that these sanctions have affected all basic sectors as well as the activities of the UN agencies and the foreign NGOs working in Syria.
syriatimes