The most difficult humanitarian situation in Syria is developing in the territories beyond the control of Damascus, for which the countries that actually occupy them are responsible.
This was stated on Monday by the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Vershinin at an online meeting of the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria.
"It is paradoxical, but a fact: a significant deterioration in the life of the Syrian population has been observed during the last year when a significant reduction in violence was achieved on the ground.
It is also noteworthy that the most difficult situation is developing in the areas not controlled by Damascus in the north-west, north and north-east of Syria, for which, I remind you, the de facto countries and local authorities that pay for them are responsible," he said.
Vershinin added that Russia "generally shares" the alarming assessments of the humanitarian and socio-economic situation in Syria, which are expressed by representatives of the UN and other international organizations.
"Today, the vast majority of Syrians, more than 90%, live below the poverty line, 60% are malnourished, and 2 million children do not have access to education," the Deputy Foreign Minister said.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said earlier that about 13.4 million people in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance, this number has increased by 20% compared to 2020.
In July 2020, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to extend for a year the mechanism of cross-border assistance to Syria, which has been in force since 2014.
Such deliveries are carried out through two checkpoints on the border with Turkey - "Bab-es-Salam" and "Bab-al-Hawa".
Moscow and Damascus insist on gradually winding down such a mechanism, as more and more areas in Syria return to government control.
As the Russian Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, has repeatedly pointed out, aid can now be delivered from within the country in coordination with Damascus, as prescribed by international humanitarian law.
Humanitarian aid to Idlib
Terrorists in the Idlib de-escalation zone restrict access of civilians to humanitarian aid sent there, Vershinin said.
"Aid does not reach the recipients, but settles in the hands of terrorists, who impose tribute on humanitarian supplies and brutally oppress the civilian population, in fact, the militants use Syrian civilians as hostages to obtain humanitarian support through an opaque mechanism, which the UN is unable to control due to the lack of access to the North-West of Syria," he said.
As an example, Vershinin cited a case that occurred in the village of Rami on March 11, when militants took food from civilians during the delivery of humanitarian aid, which led to an armed clash that killed 10 people.
The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister also pointed out that it is not possible to send the joint humanitarian convoy agreed in April 2020 by the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
"From briefing to briefing, we hear vague explanations about the need to obtain the consent of certain parties in Idlib for the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid.
Obviously, we are talking about the same parties that pass similar convoys, but within the framework of cross-border deliveries.
If we recall that the Idlib de-escalation zone is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Khuras al-Din (terrorist organizations banned in the Russian Federation), it becomes clearer what these parties are," he added.
According to Vershinin, these same militants prevent the free exit of the civilian population from Idlib through specially opened humanitarian corridors with the assistance of the Russian military.
Politicization of humanitarian issues
Western countries discriminate against areas controlled by the Syrian authorities in terms of providing humanitarian assistance, Vershinin said.
"In general, there is a blatant politicization of purely humanitarian issues, discrimination of the areas controlled by Damascus in terms of providing humanitarian assistance, refusal to assist in the recovery and return of refugees, tougher sanctions against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, the desire to maintain a cross-border mechanism that violates the norms of international humanitarian law and the guiding principles contained in UN General Assembly resolution 46/182.
All with the aim of undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria for political reasons that displease the country's leadership, " Vershinin said.
He stressed that in this regard, Moscow "deplores and condemns the constant violation by a number of Western countries of the spirit and letter of UN Security Council resolution 2254," starting with the provisions on the firm commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, as well as the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Combating terrorism
Attempts to whitewash terrorists in Syria and pass them off as the armed opposition are unacceptable, Vershinin said.
"Attempts to whitewash the terrorists, to pass them off as the armed opposition with the help, in particular, of pseudo-humanitarians from the White Helmets are unacceptable and deserve condemnation," he said.
Vershinin stressed that the irreconcilable struggle against the terrorists operating in Syria should be continued.
"The anti-terrorist actions of the Syrian government forces with the support of the Russian military are of a verified nature and take into account the need to ensure the safety of civilians," the diplomat added.
Impact of Western sanctions
Representatives of the United States and other Western countries in their speeches at the UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Syria do not mention the dramatic negative impact of unilateral sanctions by Washington and Brussels on the lives of ordinary Syrians, Vershinin said.
"The reaction of Washington and Brussels to the UN Secretary-General's call for the easing and lifting of unilateral sanctions against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic was, on the contrary, an unprecedented tightening of restrictions adopted in circumvention of the UN Security Council, including the introduction of the notorious Caesar Act in June 2020.
Unfortunately, in today's speeches, the distinguished representative of the United States and other Western colleagues spoke about much, except about the sanctions of the United States and the European Union and their dramatically negative impact on ordinary Syrians, " the Deputy Minister said at an online meeting of the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria.
Vershinin noted that in the context of the alarming deterioration of the situation in Syria, the staff of relevant international organizations working there are calling not only to increase urgent humanitarian assistance, which covers only the most basic needs of Syrians but also to work on the implementation of projects for early recovery and support for the population.
"In response, we hear statements from a number of responsible members of the international community, primarily the United States and Europe, that the Syrians will not receive anything for reconstruction until political transformations are carried out in the country," he continued.
"There is no need to talk about the declared humanitarian withdrawals in the context of the total shortage of bread, fuel, spare parts, medicines, and medical equipment in Syria, which, by the way, affects not only ordinary Syrians, but also specialized UN agencies and non - governmental organizations," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister concluded.
Oil smuggling
The United States is widely smuggling oil and grain from Syria, while Syrians are suffering from an acute shortage of basic products, Vershinin said.
"We continue to receive reports that American convoys are transporting oil and grain from Syria to Iraq on a daily basis.
Only on March 23, the Syrian-Iraqi border, judging by the incoming information, was crossed by 300 fuel trucks and more than 200 trucks with grain since the beginning of the month," he said.
"It turns out that while Syrians are suffering from an acute shortage of basic products, including bread and gasoline, there is a wide flow of smuggling of Syrian natural resources from the US-controlled Trans-Euphrates, while the country is simultaneously being economically suffocated as a result of unilateral sanctions, which are essentially a form of collective punishment," Vershinin stressed.
At the same time, the Deputy Foreign Minister continued, already three and a half months before the expiration of UN Security Council resolution 2533 on the cross-border mechanism of humanitarian assistance, active discussions have begun about the alleged lack of alternatives to such a scheme.
"It is noteworthy that if we are talking about illegal cross-border traffic, the issue is not raised, and a special Security Council resolution is required for the delivery of humanitarian aid," he said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS