Ambassador Sabbagh: Improving the humanitarian situation in Syria requires providing sustainable solutions to support its people and lift Western coercive measures
On July 24th, Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations Bassam Sabbagh affirmed that improving the humanitarian situation in Syria requires providing sustainable solutions to support its people, in a way that reduces dependence on life-saving humanitarian aid, provides conditions for the return of refugees and displaced persons, and the immediate and unconditional lifting of the illegal Western coercive economic measures.
Sabbagh said during a Security Council session on political and humanitarian affairs in Syria, that Syria, starting from its keenness to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need in the northwest of the country, and in light of the intransigence shown by some member states of the Security Council and their refusal to respond to the justified Syrian concerns that have been expressed repeatedly regarding the cross-border delivery mechanism, made a soveriegn decision to allow the UN and its concerned bodies to use the Bab Al-Hawa crossing for delivering humanitarian aid to that region for six months as of July 13th. “But this requires applying maximum pressure on terrorist organizations in northwestern Syria and their operators to allow humanitarian access, as well as providing the necessary funding for these humanitarian operations,” he clarified.
Sabbagh pointed out that what causes great concern is the continued suffering of the Syrian people in the city of Hasakah and all the population centers along the water line coming from the Alouk station, due to cutting off drinking water by the Turkish occupation forces, terrorist organizations, separatist militias and their sponsors, which deprives more than a million Syrians in that area of clean water.
Sabbagh renewed Syria’s call on the United Nations work as to end the illegal presence of foreign forces on Syrian territory, especially the American forces, to halt interference in the country’s internal affairs and supporting terrorist organizations, to stop the plundering Syria’ national wealth and capabilities, especially oil, and to completely, immediately and unconditionally lift the unilateral coercive measures it imposes against the Syrian people.
Sabbagh explained that in a serious and continuous escalation of the situation in the region, the Israeli occupation continues its attacks on the Syrian lands, and also deepens its criminal practices against our people in the occupied Syrian Golan, as last Wednesday it launched a new air aggression with bursts of missiles from the north of occupied Golan, targeting some points in the vicinity of Damascus, and also committed a new violation against the Security Council Resolution No. 497 of 1981 by planning to bulldoze the remaining houses in the village of Ein Fitt, and turning it into a military site for its forces.
Sabbagh stated that while all Security Council resolutions related to the Syrian issue affirm respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, some member states of the Security Council are still committing flagrant violations of those resolutions, as the council was informed that a delegation from the French Foreign Ministry illegally infiltrated Syrian territory recently, and held meetings with representatives of the so-called (self-administration) and the separatist militia.
Sabbagh stressed Syria’s condemnation of this blatant violation of its sovereignty and irresponsible behavior that constitutes new evidence to the direct participation of France, a permanent member of the Security Council, in the destructive role in Syria, and its support for terrorist groups and separatist militias.
al-Mohammad