From negotiating circles of the UN Security Council it was announced on Thursday that there had been no objections to a corresponding draft resolution – not even from the Russians who had been blocking it so far. The next step would be to bring the text to a vote on Friday before the most powerful UN body. But Russia could still veto there.
The background to this is a UN resolution that has existed since 2014 and expires on July 10th. The regulation allows the United Nations to bring important relief supplies via border crossings to parts of Syria that are not controlled by the government. Veto power Russia, which supports Syria’s ruler Bashar al-Assad, had so far signaled that it would prefer to close the last of once four border crossings for aid deliveries.
The United Nations and aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if the previous arrangement is not continued. More than two million people in rebel areas depend on aid. UN chief António Guterres has made it clear that he does not see a proposal by Russia as an alternative.
According to this, the aid should first be brought to the capital Damascus, which is controlled by the Syrian leadership, and then delivered to rebel areas. Many experts reject this proposal. Control of a significant part of the aid would significantly strengthen President Bashar al-Assad’s position vis-à-vis political opponents.
According to Security Council circles, the atmosphere in the negotiations on the East River in New York is somewhat more constructive on the Russian side than in the past. Nevertheless, Moscow had not accepted the content of the draft resolutions presented so far. Council members Norway and Ireland had initially proposed an extension of the mechanism for twelve months with two border crossings. Russia’s UN ambassador, Vasily Nebensja, simply called this a “pipe bug”.
The proposal now on the table provides for an extension to the previous conditions with only one transition – Bab al-Hawa in the northwest. Western diplomats hope that Moscow will accept the text despite its long blockade. From their point of view, a new dynamic between the USA and Russia after the meeting of Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin in Geneva could contribute. The two heads of state had discussed the issue of aid to Syria in Switzerland.
Published: July 8th, 2021, 6:38 pm
Last updated: July 8th, 2021, 6:38 pm