Damascus, Syria. File photoUN, 8 JulDamascus regrets that the Russian resolution on the extension of the cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria was not adopted, the Syrian envoy to the organization Bassam Sabbagh said at a meeting of the UN Security Council. On Friday, the Security Council did not adopt two draft resolutions on the extension of the Bab al-Hawa checkpoint on the Syrian-Turkish border, operating under the mechanism for the cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria. The checkpoint expires on July 10. The draft resolution of Ireland and Norway provided for the extension of the work of the checkpoint for six months — from July 10 to January 10, 2023, and then automatically for another six months, «unless a resolution is submitted that says otherwise.»
The United States stated that they did not plan to discuss with Russia the delivery of humanitarian aid to the SAR, such a position does not suit. In an alternative draft resolution prepared by Russia, it was proposed to extend the work of the checkpoint for six months, until January 10, 2023. Then, to extend its work for another six months, it would be necessary to adopt an additional Security Council resolution. As a result, the Russian Federation vetoed the Western draft resolution. The Russian document did not get the nine necessary votes. «My delegation would like to thank the Russian Federation for preparing a draft resolution that supported the implementation of the key elements of resolution 2586 in order to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria by promoting early recovery projects and increasing their number and quality,» he said. Sabbagh. «My delegation regrets that the balanced draft resolution prepared by the Russian Federation was not adopted,» he stressed. This mechanism is renewed annually. Within its framework, UN humanitarian agencies and their partners were initially entitled to use routes through the lines of confrontation and four border checkpoints: Bab es-Salam and Bab al-Hawa (both on the border of Syria and Turkey), Al- Yarubiya» (on the border with Iraq) and «Al-Ramta» (on the border with Jordan). As the Syrian army began to establish control over more and more territory, Damascus and Moscow began to advocate for the gradual curtailment of the work of border crossings. On July 10, 2021, the work of the only Bab al-Hawa border crossing remaining on the Syrian border expires. Western countries are actively in favor of extending the operation of the Bab el-Hawa checkpoint, as well as for the resumption of the work of other border crossings. non-fulfillment of conditions for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria
