Secretary-General of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Haytham Rahmeh, has applauded the European Union’s stance on Russia’s veto in the UN Security Council on Tuesday. The veto effectively blocked a draft UN resolution seeking to extend the authorization for cross-border entry of humanitarian aid into Syria.
Rahmeh emphasized the necessity of taking concrete measures to extend the authorization through the United Nations General Assembly rather than relying on the UN Security Council alone. He emphasized that mere statements of condemnation and denunciation are insufficient to ensure the sustained delivery of aid to Syrian civilians.
Rahmeh argued that the recent Russian veto is consistent with their prior positions of support for the Assad regime in international forums. He also highlighted Russia’s active involvement in the bloodshed perpetrated by the Syrian regime since their direct intervention in September 2015.
Rahmeh warned that the failure to renew UN Security Council Resolution 2672 would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria. He called on the European Union to intensify its efforts within the UN Security Council to maintain the uninterrupted flow of UN aid to liberated areas.
Expressing their concern, EU High Representative Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic issued a joint statement on Wednesday regarding the impact of the Russian veto and the escalating politicization of humanitarian aid in Syria. Both officials denounced Russia’s use of the veto in the United Nations Security Council on July 11, 2023, pertaining to the renewal of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2672 (2023).
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
