26 states, including Syria, call for lifting coercive economic measures imposed on some countries

NEW YORK, (ST)- 26 countries, including Syria, Russia, China, Iran and Democratic Korea on Tuesday called in a joint declaration to put an end to the economic blockade and coercive measures imposed by the US administration and western governments on a number of countries, stressing that these sanctions violate human rights and impede efforts to confront the Coronavirus pandemic.

AFP reported that the declaration, which was read by China’s representative during the meeting of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly for Human Rights, said that COVID-19 pandemic still poses a threat to all nations, particularly the developing countries, noting that international solidarity and cooperation are necessary to confront the deadly virus.

 The declaration added “However, we are still witnessing the application of unilateral repressive measures contrary to the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the international law, pluralism and the basic standards of international relations.”

The United States and other Western states have been imposing unilateral coercive economic measures on a number of countries within the framework of the hostile policies they adopt against independent countries that do not implement their dictates.

Hamda Mustafa