Moscow and Beijing: US sanctions on Syria worsen the Syrian people’s suffering

NEW YORK, (ST)- The US sanctions imposed on Syria target the Syrian people and worsen their suffering and maintaining these coercive measures is an immoral act in the light of Syria’s efforts to fight Coronavirus pandemic like the rest of the countries of the world, the Russian and Chinese Permanent Representatives to the United Nations stressed during a Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

Russia’s UN delegate Vasily Nebenzya said that “the US officials, as we heard, are proud that their sanctions have led to the deterioration of the economic and social conditions of the Syrian people.”

“Late last May, The European Union also extended its unilateral coercive measures against Syria, although Russia has repeatedly announced that these measures badly affect the Syrian economy and impede humanitarian aid deliveries to the Syrian people,” he added.

  On his part, China’s UN envoy Zhang Jun urged the United States to lift the unilateral measures imposed on Syria and called for focusing on achieving progress in the political process in Syria.

“We urge the United States to actively respond to the urgent appeal made by the UN Secretary-General and the UN Special Envoy for Syria to immediately lift the unilateral sanctions imposed on Syria,” he said.

He reiterated that years of western economic blockade against Syria have caused enormous hardships for the Syrian people, especially women and children, clarifying that the US sanctions will inevitably hinder economic and social development in Syria and will make the livelihood of the Syrians very difficult.

Zhang reaffirmed China’s firm stance in support of the Syrian-led political process, saying that although the Coronavirus epidemic has caused additional difficulties for the political process, China firmly believes that the political process in Syria should not stop under any circumstances.

He pointed out that the terrorists are seeking to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and the international community must not allow them to do so.

Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bashar al-Jaafari affirmed that the policies of imposing blockade and unilateral coercive economic measures have been part of the west’s traditional polices and the other face of terrorism that shed the blood of the Syrians and destroyed their achievements. He called for an immediate lifting of these unfair sanctions.

Hamda Mustafa