BRUSSELS, Jan. 10 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The European Union applauded this Tuesday the approval by the United Nations Security Council by 15 votes in favour, including Russia’s, of a resolution to extend the delivery of cross-border aid to Syria for another six months, a measure demanded by the different UN agencies.
“Monday’s decision is good news for the people of Syria. We want to especially thank the role of Ireland and Norway in the UN Security Council,” stressed a statement from the EU External Action Service led by the High Representative , Josep Borrell.
European diplomacy has indicated that the current situation in Syria “does not allow any adequate alternative to humanitarian assistance coordinated by the UN from abroad”, stating that the use of the border crossing from Turkey is a “humanitarian imperative to preserve the functioning of a critical humanitarian lifeline for millions of Syrians.
“The European Union will continue to advocate that all parties depoliticize and allow the continuous and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to all those in need,” the press release added.
The UN Security Council voted unanimously on Monday to extend the cross-border mechanism that allows food, water, medicine and other critical assistance to reach the most vulnerable Syrians.
Despite the fact that China and Russia have repeatedly expressed their reservations about the measure, they have finally given the ‘green light’ to the initiative, which will allow “providing aid to 4.1 million people in areas not controlled by the Syrian government.”
