UN Adopts Resolution Aiming To Increase Access To Civilians In Syria

In response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria, the Security Council on Monday (14 July) unanimously adopted a resolution aimed at increasing access to civilians in difficult-to-reach areas by authorizing the delivery of assistance across borders and conflict lines.

By the terms of the resolution, United Nations humanitarian agencies and their partners are authorized to use routes across conflict lines and as well as four additional border crossings – Bab al-Salam, Bab al-Hawa, Al Yarubiyah and Al-Ramtha.

This resolution –sponsored by Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg- is aimed at getting aid through those four border crossings to nearly three million people who have not had secure food supplies or access to basic healthcare for many months.

Nearly 11 million people inside Syria are in urgent need of assistance. Nearly half these people are in communities that are difficult for humanitarian agencies to reach.

The United Nations will proceed immediately with putting in place the mechanism mandated in the resolution.

Speaking to members of the Security Council, the Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said "today's resolution once again underscores the importance of agreement regarding localized ceasefires. They have demonstrated their effectiveness in ensuring food security and saving lives. To an equal extent, they underscored that without outside interference or attempts to impose solutions or victories on either side, without an intervention, Syrian sides are able to agree on saving lives and stopping violence."

The US ambassador Samantha Power said "this resolution also authorizes the UN to cross conflict lines between regime and opposition forces to deliver aid, and the Syrian regime, which is systematically denying cross line humanitarian assistance, must heed this obligation."

She also noted that the effectiveness of this resolution will depend on the efforts and cooperation of many parties, including the United Nations and international humanitarian agencies, and also the members of the Security Council.

Also speaking to the 15 members of the Security Council, the Syrian ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said "The flight of millions of refugees and displaced Iraqis because of terrorism of ISIS confirms what we have been saying that the cause of the phenomenon of refugees and displacement in Syria is due to the same reason, namely externally sponsored terrorism."

He added "consequently, ending terrorism is a prerequisite for ending the suffering of the Syrians."

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Australian ambassador Gary Francis Quinlan underlined that –with the adoption of this resolution- the Council recognized that every day the situation on the ground in Syria gets worse, adding that one Syrian family is displaced every minute.

He also said "Security Council's resolutions are binding and in this resolution the Council has affirmed that we will take measures if it is not implemented."

The resolution also decided that all Syrian parties to the ongoing conflict "shall enable the immediate and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance directly to people throughout Syria, by the United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, on the basis of United Nations assessments of need and devoid of any political prejudices and aims, including by immediately removing all impediments to the provision of humanitarian assistance."

The text comes five months after the Council adopted resolution 2139, in which it demanded unhindered humanitarian access to those in need inside Syria, where the conflict has raged for over three years.

SHOTLIST:
14 JULY 2014, NEW YORK CITY

Exterior UN building
Security Council members voting
Syrian ambassador
Delegates
Security Council room
Ambassadors of Jordan, Australia and Luxemburg walking to stakeout
Camera
Journalists
Cameras
Ambassadors walk away

SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations:
"Today's resolution once again underscores the importance of agreement regarding localized ceasefires. They have demonstrated their effectiveness in ensuring food security and saving lives. To an equal extent they underscored that without outside interference or attempts to impose solutions or victories on either side, without an intervention Syrian sides are able to agree on saving lives and stopping violence."

SOUNDBITE (English) Samantha Power, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
"This resolution also authorizes the UN to cross conflict lines between regime and opposition forces to deliver aid, and the Syrian regime, which is systematically denying cross line humanitarian assistance, must heed this obligation."

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bashar Ja'afari, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations:
"The flight of millions of refugees and displaced Iraqis because of terrorism of ISIS confirms what we have been saying that the cause of the phenomenon of refugees and displacement in Syria is due to the same reason, namely externally sponsored terrorism. Consequently, ending terrorism is a prerequisite for ending the suffering of the Syrians."
SOUNDBITE (English) Gary Francis Quinlan, Permanent Representative of Australia:
"Security Council's resolutions are binding and in this resolution the Council has affirmed that we will take measures if it is not implemented."

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein, Permanent Representative of Jordan to the United Nations:
"The security council adopted resolution 2165 this morning unanimously after a few weeks from the start of the negotiating process on it."

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