Guterres offers his condolences to Syria and victims’ families in a phone call with  Al-Mikdad

Dr. Faisal Al-Mikdad, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, received a phone call Wednesday evening from Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, during which Guterres offered his condolences to Syria and to the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck the region.

Guterres welcomed the Syrian government’s decision to bring in UN aid through two border crossings with Turkey into Idlib Governorate for a period of 3 months, stressing that the United Nations will make every effort to bring aid into all affected areas in Syria in response to the repercussions of the earthquake.

Guterres briefed Minister Al-Mikdad on the efforts made in this regard and the appeal he made to collect aid for Syria and mobilize the necessary funding to support the Syrians affected by the earthquake.

In turn, Minister Al-Mikdad expressed his appreciation for the personal efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to mobilize support for Syria and foster the efforts of the Syrian state in responding to the repercussions of the earthquake, stressing the Syrian government’s keenness to help all Syrians affected by the earthquake on all Syrian territory.

Minister Al-Mikdad underlined the measures taken by the Syrian government to confront the consequences of this humanitarian catastrophe, pointing out that the earthquake had more devastating repercussions because it came after twelve years of the terrorist war and the terrorists’ subversive activities. It also came in light of the obstruction of unilateral coercive measures to restore national capabilities in the past years, to carry out response work and to deliver support to the Syrians after the earthquake.

Al-Mikdad highlighted the importance of the role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in highlighting these difficult humanitarian conditions facing Syria, and calling on Western countries to lift the illegal coercive measures.

The two sides agreed to continue communication and coordination to overcome all obstacles and continue to support the affected Syrians.

Inas Abdulkareem