Russian, Chinese veto to extend aid to Syria across border

The veto is the 14^th from Russia about a resolution on Syria since the conflict erupted in 2011, and the Chinese veto is the second in four months on a provision on this country. The other 13 Council members voted in favor of the provision.

The mechanism that allows the delivery of aid through points not controlled by the Syrian regime expires on January 10, and Russia opposes extending it because Moscow seeks to strengthen the Syrian regime's control on the country.

Four transit points are currently used to deliver aid, two via Turkey, one through Jordan and one through Iraq, and opening a fifth point via Turkey in Tel Abyad is being discussed.

This new crossing point appears in the draft resolution submitted by Germany, Belgium and Kuwait, the countries responsible for the humanitarian aspect of the Syrian file and that seek to renew the UN mandate for a year.

Moscow, which considers that the field situation has changed with the Syrian regime regaining control of more lands, proposes in its draft resolution the abolition of two of the current four crossing points instead of adding a fifth point.

The two crossings that Russia wants to close are the Yarubiya crossing, on the border between Syria and Iraq, and the Ramtha crossing between Syria and Jordan. Moscow also proposes to renew the decision for only six months instead of a year.

The 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council called for Russia, on Tuesday, not to object to the extension of working with the mechanism of aid delivery.

Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Peru and Poland said in a statement, “The consequences of the failure to renew the mechanism will be catastrophic.”

The statement added, “It is a joint responsibility of the Security Council, and we call on all its members to remain united on this purely humanitarian issue.”

The Source: Al-Hurra

D.H