Ambassador Sabbagh: The West’s continued imposition of its illegal coercive measures exacerbates the suffering of millions of Syrians

New York (ST): Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh, affirmed that economic terrorism and the collective punishment policies represented by illegal unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States and the European Union have exacerbated the suffering of millions of Syrians who face great hardship in obtaining their basic needs, in flagrant violation of all international legal standards and principles. and provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

In a session at the Security Council on the humanitarian issue in Syria, Sabbagh explained that the catastrophic effects of the illegal and inhumane siege on Syria affected various sectors of life in it and greatly limited the ability of state institutions to provide basic services and prevented the implementation of many cooperation programs and projects between Syria and its partners in humanitarian work, such as the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and dozens of foreign NGOs licensed to work in Syria, including projects confirmed by Resolution 2585.

Sabbagh pointed out that the immoral actions and practices of some influential hostile countries on the international scene and prove the falsity of their allegations about their preoccupation with the humanitarian situation in Syria and expose their politicization of the most basic principles of humanitarian action by using them as a tool of pressure and blackmail to achieve their anti-Syrian political goals.

Sabbagh pointed out that what happened in Hasakeh during the past days revealed the inability of the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other international organizations to respond with the efficiency required to meet this challenge.Syria   launched an urgent appeal  last Saturday while providing  great facilities to UN organizations to do their work, while bearing the burdens imposed by the practices of the parties involved in these events.Despite Syria ‘s limited ability to meet the needs due to the coercive measures imposed on it – it employed all its available capabilities to respond immediately to the needs of the displaced and provided them with their requirements of shelter, food, medicine, relief materials and heating supplies, especially in light of the extremely cold weather.

Sabbagh reiterated Syria’s rejection of the so-called “cross-border mechanism” due to its violation of Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, and because it allows “Al-Nusra Front” organization and other terrorist entities associated with it to continue its control over Idleb and to hold its people hostage and human shields. 

K.Q.