Moscow opposes UNSC’s draft resolution on opening second corridor to transport aid across the border to Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov affirmed Moscow’s opposition to the new draft resolution proposed in the UN Security Council on opening a second corridor to transport aid across the border to Syria.

“If we are actually concerned about the humanitarian problems that the Syrian people suffer from, then we should look at all the reasons that led to the emergence of these problems, such as sanctions and the Caesar Act, in addition to the partners’ refusal to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian aid through international organizations, through the Syrian government and across the line of contact in all areas,” Lavrov said during a press conference with the Turkish Foreign Minister after the end of their talks in Antalya, Turkey on Wednesday.

Commenting on the new draft resolution submitted by Norway and Ireland to the United Nations, Lavrov stressed that this initiative ignores the facts, stressing that the Western countries’ illegal seizure of Syrian assets in their banks at the request of Washington is just a looting operation.

In this regard, Lavrov harshly criticized the “unacceptable” behavior of the European Union, saying that Brussels “when it tries to help refugees, it organizes conferences and invites the Secretary-General of the United Nations and acts as if this issue does not concern the Syrian government at all.”

Lavrov noted that Western countries are working to keep Syrian refugees permanently in the territories of other countries instead of helping Syria to provide the conditions for their return to their homeland. He pointed out that the funds and resources that are allocated according to the outcomes of those conferences do not come to Syria with the aim of establishing the required basic infrastructure necessary for the return of refugees; the funds go to the countries of the region that host these refugees in order to ensure that they remain in those countries for an indefinite period.

Lavrov stressed the need to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria, which is a priority set by the UN Security Council, expressing Russia’s regret over “the attempts to fuel separatist tendencies in northern Syria with financial and material support from abroad.” He stressed that “attempts to divide Syria are absolutely rejected.”

Lavrov touched on the mission of the United Nations and its special envoy  Syria Geir Pedersen, saying, “This mission lies in encouraging the parties to engage in dialogue. Pedersen must be a helpful figure in this process, and his team’s actions should be in this context without imposing his vision on the parties.”

Lavrov stressed the need to take successive steps to activate the work of the Constitutional Committee, especially preparing for the sixth session of the amendments committee and for the next round of Astana talks, which will take place in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan.

Inas abdulkareem