Explanation of vote by Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Federation Dmitry Polyanskiy after UNSC vote on a draft resolution on renewal of the cross-border humanitarian mechanism for Syria proposed by Ireland and Norway
Mr.President,
The delegation of Russia voted against a draft resolution on renewal of the cross-border mechanism (CBM) of humanitarian deliveries to Syria for one year.
We regret that determination of the delegations of Ireland and Norway, penholders of the Syrian humanitarian file at the Security Council, failed to find a better cause. Our position with regard to a proposed prolongation of the CBM for 12 months was well established from the very start. We never misled anyone on this. At the same time, we remained flexible on other aspects. However our Norwegian, Irish, and other Western colleagues clearly fell short of diplomatic skills and commitment to come into agreement.
The document that is put to vote today ignores the interests of Damascus in the first place, though Damascus is supposed to be the main beneficiary of the resolution.
The draft resolution disregards the fact that over the past year by our estimates the Security Council and the UN at large proved unable to deliver on the tasks that we had unanimously agreed to work on.
I mean establishing deliveries to north-western Syria via domestic routes, increasing transparency and accountability of UN project activities in Syria, enhancing donor support for early recovery projects. We tried to improve all related drawbacks in a draft resolution that the Council will vote on in a few moments. This draft makes it possible to renew the CBM for six months, and then for another six months, once the required parameters of its work which we agreed on last year are finally achieved.
In this regard, statement of my American colleague was particularly sly and hypocritical. It might create an impression that Russian draft resolution does not envisage renewal of the CBM. However our draft resolution contains all aspects that the Permanent Representative of the United States has just enumerated. Anyone can make sure of that. Your words are a flagrant manifestation of political cynicism and an attempt to mislead the global public opinion.
Colleagues, we will have another vote. I hope that you will vote in favor of our draft resolution, because the alternative to this is a complete and irrevocable closure of the CBM.
We call on everyone to support our draft, of course if you care for the future of the cross-border mechanism rather than for dubious geopolitical games.
Thank you.
