Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at UNSC briefing on the political and humanitarian situation in Syria
Mr.President,
We thank Geir Pedersen and Tareq Talahma for their briefings on the political and humanitarian situation in Syria.
We consistently support the mediator efforts of the Special Envoy for promotion of the Syrian-owned and Syrian-led settlement on the basis of UNSC resolution 2254, given respect for the principles of sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria, and free of external interference. We believe it is important for the Special Envoy to stick to the mandate stipulated by a Security Council decision that proceeds from the need to promote inter-Syrian dialogue, i.a. in the framework of the Constitutional Committee.
In this regard, we note the work of SESG Pedersen aimed at recovering a regular schedule of Constitutional Committee’s meetings without linking them to a particular location. We assume that major decisions on modalities of subsequent rounds of inter-Syrian consultations must be made by the Syrians themselves.
Mr.President,
Humanitarian situation in and around Syria is largely determined by the effects of the earthquake that took place on 6 February this year in the Syrian-Turkish border area. Unfortunately, earlier this month Israel repeatedly inflicted additional damage on the humanitarian situation. On 7 and 22 March, Israeli fighter jets launched strikes against the international airport in Aleppo, which is the closest one to the areas worst affected by the earthquake. This airport does not only receive international humanitarian flights. UN Humanitarian Air Service uses it to deliver essential goods, including medications, across the country. Because of the Israeli strikes, all flights to Aleppo had to redirect to airports in Damascus and Latakia, from which humanitarian aid was sent by road transport back to the Aleppo province.
Against the proliferating fuel crisis in Syria, which used to be self-sufficient in terms of oil resources back in the day, such extra expenditures put a heavy burden on logistical capacity of humanitarian workers, while the needs of the population continue to grow.
Another factor to exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the country is the ongoing American occupation of the cross-Euphrates area that is rich in natural resource. Washington does not seem to bother that this situation constitutes an egregious violation of the international law. On 4 March, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces Mark Milley paid a visit to the Rmeilan airbase in northeast Syria. He went there in a proprietor’s manner, surrounded by journalists, demonstrating once again that observance of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity stands nowhere on the list of US plans.
Since Syria seeks to implement an independent policy, the United States and its satellites deny this country a right to independent development. By the available information, despite the so-called humanitarian exemptions, heavy construction equipment cannot be delivered to the country, which is very much needed to clear the rubble in the government-controlled areas that were devastated by the earthquake. The reason is the same as with the fertilizers for Syria – it is considered a “dual use product”. This is a convenient bureaucratic excuse for Washington and Brussels. Besides, overcompliance in the banking area, that undermines humanitarian efforts, did not go anywhere. Foreign companies simple refuse to do business with the United Nations.
We request the Secretariat to not cover up for Washington and Brussels, because at the end of the day, they undermine not only UN humanitarian efforts on the ground, but also the reputation of the Organization as such.
Mr.President,
Starting 9 February, more than 900 truckloads of humanitarian aid have entered Syrian territories that are not controlled by the governmental through the three crossing points on the Turkish border. By UN estimates, the number of trucks that cross the border daily, has doubled as compared to the previous year. An overwhelming majority of them is directed to Idlib.
So there are no problems with the operation of the three crossing points. Equally, there are no obstacles for UN trips to the rebel areas in northwestern Syria, where militants are present. As reported by the Secretariat, by 15 March 2023, there had been 27 such missions. This month Heads of WHO and UNHCR, Tedros Adhanom and Filippo Grandi, visited the areas controlled by ‘Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’. It means that due to a dire humanitarian situation, the terrorists gladly opened their doors to all UN representatives, providing them with the necessary security guarantees, and also to humanitarian convoys from Türkiye. At the same time, the Secretariat is saying that there are no such sufficient guarantees for cross-line deliveries from Damascus. So the UN casts down the eye and shrugs the shoulders helplessly despite the fact that UNSC resolution directly stipulates the need to enhance the scope of cross-line deliveries.
We call on the leadership of the UN humanitarian branch to stop hiding behind the politically appropriate phrases, as well as flirting with terrorists and their sponsors, but to call things by their real names, which means to acknowledge that Nusra’s affiliates have no intention of opening access to humanitarians from Damascus. If those bandits have an opportunity to choose where the aid can or cannot come from, then humanitarian needs of the region are not as high as we are told.
This gives us reason to think whether the cross-border mechanism, the mandate of which expires very soon now, does truly stand in such high demand. We said repeatedly that this is a flawed scheme that violates sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. The hypocrisy towards cross-line deliveries that we are witnessing, further convinces us that humanitarian provision of all regions of Syria must be endorsed by the legitimate government of the country, as is the case with the two new crossings, “Bab Al-Salam”, and “Al-Rai”.
Mr.President,
In conclusion we would like to inform that on 13 March, 56 children aged 3 to 17 were returned to Russia from Syria, 49 of which were expatriated from refugee camps in cross-Euphrates area and 7 from an orphanage in Damascus. This required scrupulous preparatory work on our part, as well as talks with local authorities in Syria. During the contacts that we established, agreements were made for expatriation of 200 more Russian children.
We call on other states to enhance their efforts aimed at expatriating their nationals from Syrian IDP camps.
Thank you.
