Russia, US, UN discussing possible resumption of humanitarian operation in Syria
The United Nations declared it was suspending another humanitarian convoy to Syria due to security reasons
GENEVA, September 20. /TASS/. Russia, the United States and the United Nations are discussing in Geneva possibilities for the stabilization of the situation in Syria and soonest resumption of United Nations humanitarian aid to the population of that country, a well-informed diplomatic source told TASS on Tuesday.
"The United Nations’ decision to suspend humanitarian programs due to security considerations is being discussed in Geneva from the point of view of the search for ways to swiftly stabilize the situation and resume assistance under the United Nations programs," the source said.
According to the source, meetings between Russian and U.S. representatives are held in the format of the Geneva-based Russia-U.S. center for prompt response to violations of the ceasefire regime in Syria and in the trilateral format involving the United Nations. "Meetings are held every day," he said.
Earlier, the UN head office in New York said a joint humanitarian convoy of the United Nations and the Syrian Red Crescent Society came under bombardment near Aleppo on September 19. Several people were injured. The French news agency France Presse quoted the International Federation of the Red Cross and Redd Crescent Societies as saying the attack left 20 civilians and one Syrian Red Crescent staffer dead.
Later, the United Nations declared it was suspending another convoy to Syria due to security problems. The Syrian Red Crescent Society paused its activity in Aleppo for three days in protest against the bombardment.
The United Nations said it was unable to establish the details of the attack, but "various sources" confirmed that the city came under artillery fire on Monday. A US Administration official said the humanitarian convoy came under an air raid, adding that the US-led international anti-terrorist coalition was not responsible.
Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday neither Russian nor Syrian warplanes had delivered any strikes at the United Nations humanitarian convoy in Aleppo’s southwestern neighborhoods.