MOSCOW, August 10./TASS/. Moscow welcomes the decision by Damascus to allow the UN to use two border crossings to deliver humanitarian aid for another three months, until November 13, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release on its website.
"According to incoming information, the government of the Syrian Arab Republic on August 6 confirmed permission for the UN to use two border crossings - Bab al-Salam and Al Ra’ee - for another three months, until November 13, for cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid," the ministry said. Moscow "welcomes these steps by Damascus," it stressed.
Among other actions of the Syrian leadership, the Russian Foreign Ministry praised "Damascus' analogous decision to authorize using a third checkpoint, Bab al-Hawa, and the general approval of all internal humanitarian operations."
The ministry noted that these steps "are intended to provide comprehensive assistance to Syrians in need who were affected by the February 6 earthquake without discrimination and politicization in accordance with the rules and principles of international humanitarian law."
The Russian Foreign Ministry called for "mobilization of international support for the Syrian Arab Republic and, above all, for the lifting of illegitimate unilateral Western sanctions hindering humanitarian activities in Syria."
"Against this background, Washington's decision not to extend General License 23, issued after the February 6 earthquake, is disappointing and requires condemnation," the Foreign Ministry stressed. "Thus, the United States has once again conceded indifference to the needs of millions of Syrians and disregard for the urgent tasks of restoring critical civilian infrastructure," it stressed.
The ministry also pointed out that after the expiration of UN Security Council Resolution 2672 on July 10 along with a cross-border mechanism for the delivery of aid to Syria bypassing Damascus, international humanitarian assistance "came back on track" in line with the principles enshrined in UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182.
"It is our position that all relevant issues are being and will be resolved within the framework of direct UN dialogue with Damascus without external interference, as is done in all country crisis situations," the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.
At the same time, it reiterated the need to "use all modalities for the delivery of aid," both cross-border - via the border crossings, and cross-line - across the lines of contact, which "has been repeatedly confirmed by the UN leadership.".