Syrian Coalition: Security Council Draft Resolution on Humanitarian Aid Will Test Russia

Louay Safi, spokesman for the Syrian Coalition, said that “the draft resolution being prepared in the Security Council calling for entering humanitarian aid to the three million Syrian civilians trapped in Homs and other cities will give the Syrian Coalition the chance to test the Russian intentions and positions towards the Syrian people.” Safi also said that “Although the Russians had signed the Geneva I Communique that includes in its provisions the emphasis on the introduction of humanitarian aid, they have not abided by any of them.” Moreover, Safi said that “the draft resolution would be an indicator of the ability of the Russians to pressure the Assad regime. In case the Russians failed to pressure Assad, it would mean that the Assad regime mutinied against them.” When asked about the intentions of Western countries to increase the pressure on the Assad regime to allow the entry of humanitarian aid and speeding up the process of removing chemical weapons, Safi said that “these two issues are different, as entering humanitarian aid is one of Geneva I terms.” Safi points out “the regime’s blocking of the entry of relief aid is a war crime, while stalling the removal of chemical weapons is an indication to the regime’s wriggling out of its commitments.” Safi stresses that the Assad regime has not provided any positive signs toward allowing the entry of aid to the besieged areas during Geneva II negotiations, but has tried to exploit this humanitarian issue to get political concessions from the delegation of the Syrian Coalition, which rejected this especially since the Assad regime is obliged by the international law to allow the entry of relief aid. We had asked the sponsor states of the Geneva II conference to put pressure on the Assad regime in this regard.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)