UNITED NATIONS: India has told the UN Security Council that the
the humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, calls for a relaxation of
sanctions imposed on Syria, saying the international community must act with a
“sense of urgency” to help the Syrian people.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said this
on Monday while addressing the Security Council briefing on Syria.
“The 10-year long Syrian conflict has brought untold suffering to the Syrian
people. The Covid-19 pandemic has further compounded the situation, posing
serious challenges to the fragile health infrastructure. There is an urgent need to
increase humanitarian assistance to all Syrians throughout the country without
discrimination, politicization, and any preconditions,” Tirumurti said.
He emphasized that the humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, “calls
for a relaxation of sanctions imposed on Syria. The international community must
act with a sense of urgency to help the Syrian people.”
He voiced conviction that all efforts towards improving the humanitarian situation
in Syria will positively impact the political track as well and called upon the wider
UN system, in particular, the World Health Organization and the United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to prioritize the vaccination
program in Syria, including through the COVAX initiative.
“India firmly believes that long-term security and stability in this region can only be
achieved by preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We also
remain convinced that there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and
reaffirm our commitment to advancing a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN-
facilitated political process” in line with relevant UNSC resolution.
India has extended developmental assistance and human resource development
support to Syria regularly, including lines of credits for developmental projects and
supply of medicine and food.
-TOI, Lakshmi Madhusoodanan
Research intern
Mar 16, 2021
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