Berlin Regrets Russia, China Vetoing Germany-Drafted UNSC Resolution On Syria Border Aid

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th July, 2020) The German foreign minister expressed regret on Saturday over Russia and China vetoing a UN Security Council resolution that aimed to extend cross-border humanitarian aid deliveries into Syria through two checkpoints in Turkey and called for a compromise on the issue.

The mandate of the cross-border aid delivery mechanism expired on Friday midnight, as the UNSC failed to agree on its extension. Russia seeks to limit the number of checkpoints to one, Bab al-Hawa, which is used for about 90 percent of UN deliveries to northwestern Syria. The resolution sponsored by Germany and Belgium insists on preserving the UN mechanism via the two current crossings bordering Turkey � Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salam.

"We deeply regret that the extension of the Crossborder Resolution was again prevented by a Russian and Chinese veto in @UN Security Council.

This is bitter news for millions of people in northern Syria," Heiko Maas said, as quoted by the Foreign Office on Twitter.

The minister noted that the negotiations will continue later on on Saturday.

"We call on all delegations to no longer obstruct a compromise. We owe this to the people of #Syria," he added.

Russia believes that the cross-border aid delivery mechanism was temporary and no longer reflects the situation on the ground. After Syrian armed forces regained control over most of territories, the aid should be managed via Damascus, according to Moscow.

Another contentious point is that the Berlin-sponsored draft makes no mention of denouncing unilateral sanctions on Syria. Berlin believes that the sanctions are of a targeted nature and do not harm Syrian people.