Russia to oppose second cross-border aid to Syria: Lavrov
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Wednesday, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, said Russia will again object a resolution draft in the UN Security Council on opening a second crossing for the delivery of aid across border to Syria.
“If we are really worried about the humanitarian problems that the Syrians are going through, we should look into the real causes of these problem,” Lavrov said in a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
Lavrov noted to the western sanctions on the Syrian government, including Caesar Act, which he described as “chocking and inhuman.”
On June 24, the UN, along with several countries, urged Russia not to use the veto against the extension of the period of keeping Bab al-Hawa crossing open to allow humanitarian aid to enter Idlib region.
During a UN Security Council session, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, called on the council members to reach consensus on authorizing cross-border operations “as a vital support artery for an additional year.”
Negotiations are taking place on a draft resolution prepared by Ireland and Norway, the two non-permanent members of the Security Council, amid fears of a new Russian veto against the opening of other crossings, in addition to Moscow’s desire to close Bab al-Hawa crossing.
Lavrov pointed out that seizing the Syrian assets in the western banks at a US request “is not illegal.”
“We should take into account the refusal of our partners to guarantee the provision of humanitarian aid via international organizations through Damascus, and through the contact lines to all regions that are still out of the Syrian government control.”
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stressed in a press conference on June 28, the necessity of trying to “expand the size of cross-border aid.”
“Obviously we do not want any permanent member of the UN Security Council to veto that,” a senior US official accompanying Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told the news conference.
“We want a constructive relationship with Russia in the areas where we can cooperate, and we believe that Syria is one of them,” he added.
In 2014, the UN Security Council allowed aid to enter Syria through four border crossings.
However, at the beginning of 2020, and under pressure of China and Russia, which repeatedly used their vetoes, the UN Security Council reduced the crossings and shortened them to Bab al-Hawa crossing that links Turkey and Idlib in northwest Syria, through which about ten thousand trucks enter every month.