UNSC vetoes resolution to extend Syria cross-border aid for 6 months

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Jul 2023 19:24

This comes after Russia vetoed a draft resolution submitted by Switzerland and Brazil to extend the cross-border mechanism for nine months.

The UN Security Council holds a meeting at United Nations headquarters, on November 20, 2019 (AP)

The UN Security Council on Tuesday rejected a Russian draft resolution to extend cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria for six months.

The resolution was rejected in a 3-2 vote, with 10 abstentions. Russia and China voted in favor.

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said cross-border access of aid to Syria via Turkey can be closed after the UNSC vetoed the Russian draft resolution.

"If our draft is not supported, then we can just go ahead and close down the cross border mechanism," Nebenzya told the UN Security Council ahead of the vote on the Russian draft resolution.

Earlier in the day, Russia vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution submitted by Switzerland and Brazil to extend the cross-border mechanism for nine months. Thirteen UNSC members voted in favor, while China abstained.

The mechanism of cross-border delivery of aid to Syria through the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border expired on July 10.

In the same context, Nebenzya pointed out that the United States is stifling Syria with sanctions while claiming to be keen on offering aid.

He also indicated that the US interest is limited to helping terrorists in Idlib who obstruct the transfer of aid through agreed-on corridors.

Russia and Syria want the cross-border mechanism to be gradually substituted by a cross-line mechanism for aid delivery. Russia believes that only cross-line deliveries allow Syria to control its sovereign territory.

The mechanism, which was established in 2014, enables the UN to send humanitarian aid from Turkey to people residing in areas held by armed groups in northwest Syria without having to go via territories under the authority of the Syrian government.