by Erol Avdovic
UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted a new resolution that would allow aid to cross the Syrian border without the permission of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
The resolution, passed on Monday, outlines how humanitarian convoys would pass through four border crossings on the borders with Turkey, Jordan and Iraq.
Australian ambassador Gary Quinlan described the situation in Syria as “the greatest humanitarian crisis this century” with between 6,000 and 7,000 new refugees created every day. “At least one family in Syria becomes displaced every minute,” he said.
The UN’s humanitarian agency OCHA estimates that cross-border access could allow the UN to reach between 1.3 million and 2.5 million more people, mostly in rebel-controlled areas.
Since February, the number in need of aid has increased from 9.3 million to 10.8 million, 4.7 million of whom are currently beyond the reach of assistance, according to the UN.
The resolution provides for further sanctions if Damascus does not accede.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on “all parties to the conflict and those with influence over them” to allow unconditional humanitarian aid.
A coalition of 34 NGOs, including Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Oxfam, welcomed the resolution as “rare consensus” among the five permanent Security Council members and called for a "massive increase" in aid for 11 million Syrians.
David Miliband, Chairman of the International Rescue Committee, said any failure to increase aid reaching hard-to-reach Syrians would “make a mockery of the international system.”
Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said: “We ask that no restrictions be placed on our use of the most expeditious routes to deliver aid.”
A Security Council resolution passed in February to allow aid distribution has been ignored and Assad’s government has insisted on aid being channeled through Damascus, with very little subsequently reaching civilians in areas not controlled by the government.
Syria has criticized the resolution as an attack on its sovereignty.
www.aa.com.tr/en
