Russia and China vetoed a draft resolution of the UN Security Council to extend cross-border operations to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria. The vote in the security Council have exposed fundamental differences between the major world powers on the question of how to continue international humanitarian operations in the country after the start of the nine-year civil war. According to Russia and China, proposed by Germany and Belgium, the draft resolution retains the antiquated model of care Syria, which ignores what happened in the country drastic changes and deprive Damascus of the ability to regain control over its territory.The Belgian-German draft resolution that regulates cross-border operation to deliver humanitarian assistance to Syria, provided for the renewal approved in 2014 resolution 2165 of the UN Security Council. Its term expired July 10.The security Council resolution, opened a “green light” to international humanitarian aid in Syria, was adopted six years ago, in the midst of the fighting, when Damascus controlled much of the territory of the country and the Syrian nation was on the verge of collapse. Every year since then, the international community extended a simplified regime for the delivery of humanitarian and medical supplies to Syria, which entered the country from neighbouring States, particularly Turkey and Iraq and Jordan through the border crossings “Bab-es-Salam”, “Bab El-Hawa”, “El Arabiya and al-Ramtha”.However, this year for the first time in six years to negotiate the renewal of the mandate of operating in Syria UN humanitarian agencies and their partners prior to July 10, 2021 and failed. As stated by the Chairman of the security Council the permanent representative of Germany Christoph Heusgen, during the meeting in new York on Tuesday, the vote of two permanent members of the security Council with veto power, Russia and China voted against the draft resolution, proposed by Belgium and Germany, while the other 13 members of the UN security Council resolution supported.Disagreement about whether you want to stick to the old patterns of humanitarian supplies in Syria, first came to the surface last year. Then, Moscow has urged Western partners to revise the text of the resolution six years ago and make adjustments to it in accordance with the radical changes that have occurred in the country.The position of the Russian side is that after the defeat of the terrorist groups and the return of a significant part of Syrian territory under the control of Damascus, the Syrian authorities were able to deliver humanitarian assistance, while the need to maintain all previously existing four crossing pointcomrade disappeared. In this regard, Moscow has made clear: further humanitarian supplies to Syria in circumvention of the government of Bashar al-Assad unacceptable. Humanitarian assistance should be carried out in coordination with Damascus, in accordance with international humanitarian law.In January of this year, the UN security Council adopted resolution Belgium and Germany on the prolongation of humanitarian supplies to Syria for another six months, the number of transmission, it was decided to reduce from four to two (the current left located on the border with Turkey points “Bab-es-Salam and Bab-El-Hawa”). Previous resolution, which was supported by Moscow and Beijing, was the result of a difficult compromise that takes into account Russian and Chinese position.However, to achieve another compromise and agree on maintaining a single checkpoint “Bab-El-Hawa” on the border with Turkey in the negotiations, which lasted from January to June, and failed.Given that the negotiations have stalled, Moscow along with Beijing have used their veto power.In this situation, Moscow has announced its intention to offer an alternative draft security Council resolution on extending cross-border delivery mechanism for humanitarian aid to Syria for six months, which involves only one crossing point-“Bab-El-Hawa” which is in itself problematic from the point of view of security of the province of Idlib.”Due to the fact that the size of the territory controlled by the terrorists of Idlib was reduced by 30%, are confident that this roadblock will be sufficient to meet all the humanitarian needs of the residents in the area of people”,— explained the meaning of the Russian proposal, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia. According to Mr. Nebenzu, the need for the second paragraph of “Bab-es-Salam”, near the border with Turkey, has disappeared due to the fact that through him “was carried out only 14% of the total volume of cross-border humanitarian supplies in Idlib”.”The vote in the security Council revealed the continuing fundamental differences between the approaches of the leading world powers to the question of how to continue international humanitarian operation in Syria after the start of the nine-year civil war. While Moscow is in favour of a gradual transition of humanitarian supplies under the control of Damascus, the Western partners are trying to keep the old mechanism of humanitarian supplies what they consider a hidden lever of pressure on the Syrian authorities and a way to deprive them of the possibility to regain control over its territory”,— explained “Kommersant” Director of the Center for political studies Andrey Fedorov.Sergey Strokan
