US pledges $380m for Syria relief in Kuwait

The United States pledged USD 380 million for relief aid to Syria at a conference in Kuwait, as State Secretary John Kerry said his country would also be focusing on the diplomatic aspect of the conflict. The amount will bring the total contributions of the US to the efforts in Syria to USD 1.7 billion, he revealed. Since a former conference with the same goal was held in Kuwait last year, he said the situation has worsened, with the number of displaced having almost tripled and over 2.3 million having fled their homes to neighbouring countries. Civilians are paying the price heavily with their health and lives in the internal conflict, he described as "horrific" and "devastating". He blamed the Al-Assad regime for impeding the transport of international humanitarian relief to civilians within Syria. "We must ensure the Syrian regime complies with UN resolutions," he said. He noted to his recent meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Paris, during which both had discussed encouraging a ceasefire between warring factions in Syria, so as to allow the safe passage of relief. This would be something the US would be encouraging in the upcoming Geneva II talks, he said, emphasising the diplomatic aspect of his countrys efforts as well as in financial aid. Kerry also noted to the conflicts ramifications on the surrounding region, which he warned would lead to "greater instability," if unresolved diplomatically.