Syria: Humanitarian aid top of priorities

The Syrian authorities stressed Saturday that the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country is a top priority, following the adoption of a UN resolution to facilitate humanitarian access to all Syrian cities, a resolution seen by the domestically-based opposition as "positive." Syria's permanent representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari said that the government has worked since the beginning of the crisis to improve humanitarian situation in Syria, placing it atop of its priories. He noted that the humanitarian support to the Syrians is not possible unless it goes hand in hand with stopping terrorism in words and actions, adding that the Syrian government is exercising its right in fighting the rampant terrorism in the Middle Eastern country. His remarks came in the wake of a resolution adopted by the Security Council on Saturday, which demands "rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access" of UN humanitarian aid in war-torn Syria, where armed conflict has been going on for nearly three years. "The Security Council demands that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, promptly allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for UN humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including across conflict lines and across borders, in order to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches people in need through the most direct routes," the resolution said. The resolution "demands that all parties immediately put an end to all forms of violence, irrespective of where it comes from, cease and desist from all violations of international law and violations and abuses of human rights, and reaffirm their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and stresses that some of these violations may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity." Al-Jaafari stressed that "the Syrian government has been working to restore security and stability all over Syria and is fully committed to international obligations," accusing the opposition of hindering the delivery of aid rations into troubled areas. He pointed out that "terrorists are targeting Syrian infrastructure and resources, aid convoys, besieging areas and blocking aid deliveries to civilians and using them as human shields." The Syrian government and the opposition have been trading accusations over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria. Meanwhile, Hasan Abdul-Azim, the head of the domestically-based National Coordination Body (NCB), the main political opposition group inside Syria, told Xinhua that the UN resolution is " positive" and could be conducive in bringing the violence in Syria to an end. He said the resolution doesn't harm any party as it has been adopted without the threats of sanctions, noting that "the resolution serves the interests of the Syrian people." He added that the aid must be delivered also to the pro- government towns of Nubul and Zahra, both have been besieged by the rebels in Aleppo province since last year. Syria's three-year-old crisis has left more than 100,000 people killed, and 9.3 million people within Syria and more than two million others outside the country in need of humanitarian assistance, according to recent statistics by the UN and some humanitarian organizations.