Riad Hijab, General Coordinator of the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) called upon the French government to continue with its efforts to defend the Syrian people in international forums. He stressed the need to look for other mechanisms outside the UN Security Council to stop the violence in light of Russia’s continued blocking of the Council.
In a telephone conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Monday, Hijab said that Russia is complicit in the crimes the Assad regime is committing in Syria, stressing the need to hold both accountable.
On Saturday, Russia vetoed a French-Spanish draft UN Security Council Resolution designed to stop aerial bombardment of Aleppo and allow humanitarian access to the civilians trapped inside the eastern rebel-held parts of the city. The draft resolution was approved by nine member states out of 15.
Hijab thanked the French foreign minister for his country’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, especially in Aleppo; lift the sieges on Syrian cities and towns; allow the delivery of humanitarian aid; and find a just solution to the conflict in Syria.
The HNC said that nothing can erase the shame Russia brought upon itself when its UN ambassador raised his hand, solely, to veto the French-Spanish resolution, adding that for a member state presiding over the UN Security Council to veto a draft resolution designed mainly to end bloodshed was unprecedented. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
