Al-Jaafari: Humanitarian Situation in Syria Exploited to Pressure Syrian Government before Next Round of Geneva Talks

NEW YORK, (ST)-The humanitarian situation in Syria is being used by some parties at the Security Council to put pressure on the Syrian government before the next round of intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva, Syria’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Bashar al-Jaafari has underscored

Al-Jaafari, who made the remarks on Friday following a Security Council session on the humanitarian situation in Syria, stressed that the Syrian government has been working with the United Nations to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to all Syrians who need without discrimination including in terrorist-held areas.

“Dealing with the humanitarian issue in Syria should be done in coordination with the Syrian government,” al-Jaafri said, regretting the fact that some influential Security Council member states have played a major part in the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria, by supporting terrorists and sending them to Syria and by distorting facts about events in the country aiming to destroy its sovereignty.

Focus should be on fighting terrorism

He pointed out that from time to time these states create problems like raising the issue of providing humanitarian support to besieged areas instead of focusing on the most important issue which is fighting the terrorism that is sponsored and funded by these very states.

 “These countries could have helped the Syrians and end their suffering by pressuring the Saudi and Turkish regimes to change their policies and stop their support for terrorists coming from all over the world to fight in Syria,” he said, clarifying that reports indicate that more than 80,000 terrorists of different nationalities are present  in the country.

 He wondered how Australian, Canadian, Belgian, French, British, Libyan, and Tunisian terrorists could enter Syria through Turkey after crossing thousands of kilometers, who gave these terrorists the visas and paid for their flight tickets, who trained them in camps in Turkey and who facilitated their movement across the borders.

He refuted false accusations made by some Security Council members alleging that the Syrian government is hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid, stressing cooperation between the government and the UN and its agencies in delivering aid to millions of people over the past years.

Those who want to help the Syrians should contact the Syrian government

“Those who want to help the Syrians by providing humanitarian aid or by fighting terrorism should contact the Syrian government, because nobody can fight terrorism on behalf of the Syrian government and people and nobody can airdrop aid or send assistance to the Syrians by sea or land without going through an official channel called the Syrian government, according to al-Jaafri.

Hamda Mustafa