UNSC Urges Turkey to ‘Comply with Intl Law’ in Syria

NEW YORK – Following a briefing requested by Russia, the UN Security Council has urged Ankara to comply with international law in Syria following recent Turkish shelling of Syrian northern areas, but it didn’t condemn this flagrant attack on the Syrian sovereignty.

According to RT, the closed-door meeting was called to discuss recent Turkish attacks on some Syrian areas.

 “UN Security Council members are concerned with the Turkish attacks on a number of Syrian regions,” Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Ramirez, who now chairs the UNSC, said after the meeting.

The UN Security Council received a letter from the Syrian government in which Damascus condemned Turkey’s attacks in the north of Syria, Ramirez explained, noting that the entire council expressed “concern” about these violations.

“All members of the Security Council … agreed to ask for Turkey to comply with international law,” he added.

The UNSC also reiterated its commitment to the Munich agreement, expecting that all parties involved in the discussions will work toward a ceasefire to “allow humanitarian access for every place in the Syrian territory.”

The UNSC president highlighted the need to have Kurds represented in the Syrian peace process, and for Ankara not to escalate the situation even further.

“One of the issues expressed by some countries, including Venezuela, is that the Kurdish people have to be included in the discussion. Now that is the principle concern of Turkey,” Ramirez said during the briefing.

“Something that is important – the Kurds are fighting against the terrorist groups on the ground and this is an important factor for everybody,” Ramirez emphasized.

Turkish artillery units have been shelling targets in Syrian areas aiming to support armed terrorist organizations and raising the morale of the terrorists.

H.M