A child brings food aid given by the UN World Food Program in Raqqa, Syria, on April 26, 2018. REUTERS / Aboud Hamam
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UNITED NATIONS, July 8 (Reuters) – Russia on Friday signaled the end of a lengthy UN aid operation in northwestern Syria from Turkey after vetoing a one-year extension and then failing to its own drive for a renewal of six months and more. international reconstruction efforts.
The current mandate of the UN Security Council for UN humanitarian aid – including food, medicine and shelter – to some 4 million people in northwestern Turkey controlled by the opposition from Turkey expires on Sunday.
Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said the only solution Moscow would not veto is his. This draft resolution failed on Friday after only Russia and China voted in favor. The United States, Britain and France voted against the Russian text, while the remaining 10 council members abstained.
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“At the moment I see no other option. Given the words that have been said today, I think this has become almost impossible,” Polyanskiy told reporters, adding that another board member could return to put the Russian text to a point. vote.
Before its own draft resolution failed, Russia had vetoed a proposal for a one-year extension, drafted by Ireland and Norway, which received 13 votes in favor. Despite a “boundless” strategic partnership with Moscow, China abstained from voting.
“This is a matter of life and death and tragically, people will die because of this vote and the country that shamelessly vetoed it,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas told the council -Greenfield.
“NOT DISAPPOINTED”
China’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, has called on all council members “not to give up” and to continue negotiations, while the Irish ambassador to the UN, Geraldine Byrne Nason, went to say, “Don’t reveal this veto to us. This is not the end of the road.”
However, when asked if Russia would veto any text project other than his own, Polyanskiy replied, “Obviously.”
Russia argues that the UN aid operation violates Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He says more aid should be delivered from inside the country, fueling fears of opposition that food and other aid would fall under government control.
The United States, Britain and France said on Friday that a six-month extension is not long enough for aid groups to plan and operate effectively.
Western powers are also against funding large-scale reconstruction efforts until a political solution is reached in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 sparked a civil war.
The vote of the Security Council on the authorization of the aid operation has long been a controversial issue, but this year also comes amid the most intense tensions between Russia and Western powers over the invasion of Ukraine for Moscow on 24 February.
In 2014, the Security Council authorized the delivery of humanitarian aid to opposition-controlled areas of Syria from Iraq, Jordan and two points in Turkey. But the veto powers Russia and China have reduced it to just one Turkish border point.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the council last month to extend its approval of the aid operation, telling the agency: “We cannot give up the people of Syria.”
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Report by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Mary Milliken, Nick Macfie and Jonathan Oatis
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