France stresses importance of UN humanitarian resolution on Syria

Despite reticence by Russia and China, France on Tuesday reiterated what it sees as the importance of a UN Security Council resolution to try to guarantee secure humanitarian aid to Syria's beleaguered civilian population.Russia and China did not attend a meeting Monday to discuss a draft text being tabled by European and Arab nations on the Security Council. And Russian Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov was quoted as saying the draft text is "unacceptable" and not appropriate because it contains the threat of sanctions against those who would not give humanitarian access to areas under siege."The discussions have opened" on the proposed text, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said in response to questions about Lavrov's remarks.Nadal said that it was normal that countries would be taking positions at this stage.But Russia and China have traditionally vetoed any resolution that threatens sanctions against the Syrian regime and it is difficult to imagine they will change their positions now.Russia also said that the current humanitarian measures being implemented in places like Homs, where three days of evacuations have been completed, were going well for the time being.France has complained that some humanitarian convoys leaving Homs have been fired upon and said this is "unacceptable." Nadal said "France attaches great importance to the discussions" on a humanitarian resolution that would pave the way for food and medicines to be delivered to war-torn areas. "It is very important that the UN Security Council is in a position to take a certain number of decisions to guarantee humanitarian access to the Syrian population," the French official said in answer to KUNA questions. He noted that over 130,000 people have died since the beginning of the conflict in March 2011 and millions have been made refugees.The official stressed "it is urgent" that the UN vote measures "to secure and guarantee humanitarian access" and France wants "all members of the Security Council to take part in these discussions and allow for the adoption of a resolution rapidly."