Syria aid draft ready to be voted on

A watered down Western-Arab draft resolution demanding immediate humanitarian access to the besieged areas all over Syria is ready to be voted on this week, according to a diplomat close to the Security Council quarters. The draft, which now includes some Russian amendments, is put in blue, which means it is ready to be voted on, but could still be further amended at the last minute. According to the initial Western-Arab draft, the Council would express its intent, if the demands are not met within 15 days of the adoption of the resolution, to impose non-military "measures (sanctions)" under the UN Charter, against those obstructing its implementation. That paragraph has been watered down to allay Russian concerns. The Council would now express its intent to take "further steps" in case of non-compliance with this resolution based on a report by the UN Chief 30 days after its adoption and every 30 days thereafter. The initial draft was presented by Australia, Luxembourg and Jordan earlier this month. Russia first described it as a "non starter," then came up with its own draft, which diplomats described as "weak." Diplomats merged both drafts and agreed on a compromised text that thy hope to be voted on this week because of the urgency of the situation on the ground in Syria. Over nine million Syrians, almost half the population, are affected by the three-year conflict. The draft 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." It urges all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, to take all appropriate steps to facilitate the UN efforts to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the needy, including by promptly facilitating safe and unhindered access to populations in all areas under their control. The draft "strongly condemns" the widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the Syrian authorities, as well as by armed groups. It demands that all parties immediately put an end to all forms of violence, "irrespective of where it comes from" and stresses that some of these violations "may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity." It stresses the need to end impunity for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, and reaffirms that those who have committed or are otherwise responsible for such violations and abuses in Syria "must be brought to justice." The draft demands that "all parties immediately cease all attacks against civilians," as well as the indiscriminate employment of weapons in populated areas, including shelling and aerial bombardment, such as the use of barrel bombs, It strongly condemns the increased terrorist attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda affiliated organisations and individuals, urges the opposition groups to reject them, demands that all foreign fighters immediately withdraw from Syria, and reaffirms that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Moreover, it emphasizes that the humanitarian situation in Syria will continue to deteriorate in the absence of a political solution, welcomes the Geneva-2 Conference on Syria, and demands that all parties work towards the comprehensive implementation of the 2012 Geneva Communique leading to a genuine political transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. It finally urges all Member States to contribute or increase their support to the UN humanitarian appeals to meet the spiralling needs of the Syrian people to ensure that all pledges are honoured in full, and welcomed in this regard the pledges totalling 2.5 billion at the Kuwait-2 Pledging Conference for Syria held on January 15 of this year.