UNITED NATIONS, December 17. /TASS/. The United Nations cross-border humanitarian assistance mechanism for Syria will not be extended if Russia’s draft resolution on that matter is voted down by the UN Security Council, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya told journalists on Tuesday.
When asked whether Russia would veto Germany, Belgium and Kuwait’s draft resolution if it is put for voting along with Russia’s proposal on December 19, the Russian diplomat said, "The draft resolution proposed by the Penholders [on the humanitarian dossier — TASS] is unacceptable for us."
"If it happens so that our draft is turned down, it will mean that the mechanism will not be extended. I don’t know who may benefit from that," he added.
"We have never been enthused about the so-called trans-border humanitarian operations but agreed on that taking into account the situation ‘on the ground’ in Syria. Now, the situation in Syria has changed dramatically, with the government controlling most of the country’s territory," Nebenzya went on.
"Bearing this in mind, we have drafted our own edition of the resolution stipulating for the extension of this mechanism for six months [not for a year, as suggested by Germany, Belgium and Kuwait — TASS] and the use of two most essential checkpoints out of four," he noted. "We hope that on December 19, when the previous resolution expires, we will be able to adopt this very simple and clear resolution."
Russia initiated its edition of the United Nations Security Council resolution on humanitarian assistance to Syria in response to the text offered by Germany, Belgium and Kuwait. Consultations are currently underway on both editions. The two drafts are expected to be put for voting at a United Nations Security Council meeting on December 19.
Under the Germany, Belgium and Kuwait’s draft, cross-border humanitarian assistance deliveries under the United Nations control and without any consent from Damascus are to be continued for one more year. The document stipulates that such deliveries are to come via the four existing checkpoints, plus one more — Tell Abyad on the border with Turkey.
Moscow has repeatedly voiced its objections against this humanitarian assistance mechanism pointing to its non-transparent nature. In 2018, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya refrained from vetoing the corresponding resolution and abstained during the vote.
Now, Russia offers its own draft resolution that provides for the extension of the cross-border mechanism for a term of six months via only two checkpoints. The draft stresses the necessity to deliver assistance to all Syria’s regions that need it, especially to Idlib. Apart from that, it calls for better control over the distribution of such assistance.
The decision to launch cross-border humanitarian assistance to Syria was passed in July 2014 as a response measure to the dramatic decrease in access to the population because of heated hostilities. Thus, Resolution 2165 stipulates the establishment of several checkpoints at Syria’s borders and the deployment of a United Nations monitoring mission to inspect incoming cargoes to prevent weapons supplies.
Resolution on easing sanctions against North Korea
There is no time frame for putting a resolution on easing sanctions against North Korea to the vote, Russia’s permanent envoy to the United Nations commented on a Russian-Chinese draft resolution presented on Monday.
"Consultations are underway but we aren’t setting any time frame," he said.
On Monday, Moscow and Beijing introduced a draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council, calling for easing sanctions on North Korea in order to improve the humanitarian situation in the country. The draft resolution particularly suggests allowing the export of goods for the construction of infrastructure facilities to North Korea. The document also highlights the need for Washington and Pyongyang to maintain dialogue at all levels.