Resolution 2585 includes provisions to improve the economic and social situation in Syria, says Moscow

Moscow, (ST) – The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the UN Security Council resolution on extending the mechanism for delivering humanitarian aid to Syria across the border includes a number of provisions that are of primary importance to deal with the comprehensive needs of the Syrians and improve the economic and social situation in the country.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its website today that, “the compromise text stresses for the first time, the need to enhance cross-line aid deliveries, in line with the United Nations core humanitarian principles. Through its adoption, the council has given the green light for the ultimate replacement of the cross –border mechanism with the cross-line aid deliveries.

The Foreign Ministry added that the resolution “recognizes the urgent need to expand humanitarian activity by implementing early reconstruction projects that include water, electricity, education, health and housing construction.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that the resolution welcomes the initiatives of relevant humanitarian organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, and appeals to the international community and specialized agencies to support it.

The Foreign Ministry pointed out that the resolution pays special attention to the negative impact of the Covid pandemic, which has adverse affects on the situation of the Syrians. “The United Nations should react towards this bad situation of the Syrians in accordance with the call of the United Nations Secretary-General to ease the unilateral sanctions on Syria”, it added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Security Council instructed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to report to him in detail about the indicators of humanitarian supply, not only from inside Syria, but also about dispatches across the border.  The report would include for the first time data on the mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid in Idlib, which is controlled by the Nusra Front organization, which is classified by the Council Security as a terrorist organization as well as about the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the de-escalation zone to which UN representatives do not yet have access.

The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its hope that the impartial and honest implementation of the resolution will allow for serious improvement of the humanitarian situation in Syria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Faisal Al-Miqdad, affirmed that, the adoption of Resolution 2585 in its current form is an achievement because it included all aspects that Western countries refused to address and stresses the delivery of humanitarian aid from inside Syria, not only from the crossings.

He expressed Syria’s satisfaction with the Russian-Chinese effort to restricting Western and Turkish aid to terrorists.

Raghda Sawas