U.N. aid to Syria from Turkey likely allowed until January, vote Tuesday
By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Safety Council seems set to permit U.N. deliveries of help to some 4 million individuals in northwest Syria from Turkey till January, diplomats mentioned on Monday, after days of wrangling with Russia over how lengthy to let the large operation proceed.
The mandate for the operation, which has been delivering meals, drugs and shelter to the opposition-controlled space of Syria since 2014, expired on Sunday. Council authorization is required as a result of Syrian authorities didn’t conform to it.
The 15-member physique will vote Tuesday on a draft decision – put ahead by Eire and Norway – that mirrors a Russian textual content, which failed when put to a vote on Friday. The USA, France and Britain opposed it as a result of they mentioned six months just isn’t lengthy sufficient for help teams to plan and function successfully.
To go, a decision wants 9 votes and no vetoes by Russia, China, the US, France or Britain.
Russia initially vetoed a one-year extension on Friday, which was supported by 13 council members, whereas China abstained. Russia’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy mentioned Moscow would proceed to veto any textual content aside from its personal.
“The Russians did get to form the end result of this course of, however they seemed fairly lonely alongside the best way,” mentioned Richard Gowan, Disaster Group U.N. director, noting that China lobbied for a compromise and did not be part of Russia in casting a veto.
Solely Russia and China backed the Russian draft on Friday, and the remaining 10 council members abstained.
Russia argues that the U.N. help operation violates Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It says extra help needs to be delivered from contained in the nation, elevating opposition fears that meals and different help would fall beneath authorities management.
The Safety Council vote on the authorization of the help operation has lengthy been a contentious problem, however this yr additionally comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and Western powers over Moscow’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
In 2014, the Safety Council approved humanitarian help deliveries into opposition-held areas of Syria from Iraq, Jordan and two factors in Turkey. However veto powers Russia and China have whittled that all the way down to only one Turkish border level.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; enhancing by Jonathan Oatis and Sam Holmes)
