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Russia suggests alternative to West’s draft resolution on Syria aid at UN

A source in the UN told TASS the Security Council was considering both documents

THE UNITED NATIONS, December 17. /TASS/. Russia has submitted to the UN Security Council its draft resolution on delivering humanitarian aid to Syria as an alternative to a document suggested by Germany, Belgium and Kuwait.

A source in the United Nations told TASS the Security Council was considering both documents, which were expected to be put up for vote this week.

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Residents returning to their homes in central Syria

Germany, Belgium and Kuwait drew up their draft resolution extending for a year the so-called transborder operations - the delivery of humanitarian assistance under the UN control and without the requirement to obtain Damascus permission. This document suggests continuing the aid delivery through four existing checkpoints and also adding to them Tell Abyad on the border with Turkey.

Moscow has repeatedly opposed this mechanism of humanitarian aid delivery, calling it non-transparent. In 2018, Russian Permanent Envoy to the UN Vasily Nebenzya did not veto this resolution but abstained from the vote.

Now Russia has introduced its own draft resolution calling for continuing transborder supplies only for six months and through two checkpoints. The document suggests excluding the checkpoints of Al Yarubia and Ar-Ramtha for six months or until July 10, 2020. The text emphasizes the need to supply aid to all Syrian areas in dire need, especially Idlib. The draft resolution also calls on the UN to improve control over the delivered aid and its distribution.

A decision on launching transborder humanitarian operations in Syria was adopted in July 2014 amid intensified combat actions, which reduced access to the civilian population. The UN passed Resolution 2165 on opening several border crossings on the Syrian borders and deploying a special UN monitoring mission to check cargos arriving in the country in order to prevent arms supplies.

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