China Says Vetoed UNSC Resolution On Syria Aid Because Draft Failed To Address Sanctions

Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun on Wednesday said that Beijing vetoed the draft resolution to re-authorize the cross-border aid deliveries into northwestern Syria for another year in the United Nations Security Council because it failed to incorporate calls made by the UN to lift unilateral sanctions that undermine Damascus' response to COVID-19

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2020) Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun on Wednesday said that Beijing vetoed the draft resolution to re-authorize the cross-border aid deliveries into northwestern Syria for another year in the United Nations Security Council because it failed to incorporate calls made by the UN to lift unilateral sanctions that undermine Damascus' response to COVID-19.

Russia and China have used their veto powers to block the draft, proposed by Belgium and Germany, to preserve the UN mechanism via the two current border crossings - Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salam - from Turkey. All 13 other members of the UNSC supported the resolution. Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia, in a statement explaining the vote, said that aid deliveries should be coordinated with the Syrian government. At the same time, Nebenzia said that Russia's permanent mission had already introduced the new resolution, which seeks to sustain the cross-border mechanism in Syria for six months, but limits the number of checkpoints to one Bab al-Hawa as it is used for about 90 percent of UN deliveries to northwestern Syria.

"[UN] Secretary-General [Antonio] Guterres and [UN] Special Envoy [for Syria Geir] Pedersen have repeatedly called on the relevant countries to lift unilateral coercive measures. To this end, China proposed amendments to the draft resolution. It is disappointing that the draft resolution submitted by copenholders completely ignores China's amendments and does not contain a single word about unilateral coercive measures. China is compelled to vote against such an unobjective and unbalanced draft resolution," Zhang said in a statement.

US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft has accused Russia and China of trying "to advance their narrow national agendas at the expense of millions" of innocent Syrians.

The Chinese envoy condemned US criticism and, in turn, accused Washington of imposing additional sanctions that gravely affects people in Syria and, at the same time, "claiming to be concerned about the suffering of Syrian civilians." Zhang added that sanctions undermine Syria's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Zhang, China shares the same view as Russia the cross-border mechanism of delivering humanitarian aid was an urgent and temporary arrangement, and all relevant countries should respect Syria's sovereignty.

"China has repeatedly stated that the cross-border mechanism is merely an urgent and temporary arrangement. It is the Primary responsibility of the Syrian Government to improve the humanitarian situation in the country, and its role is irreplaceable. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria must be respected," Zhang added.

The UNSC has been extending the existing cross-border delivery mechanism every year since its establishment in 2014. The system allowed the UN and its partners to use checkpoints on Syria's borders with Turkey, Iraq and Jordan for delivering humanitarian aid. In December 2019, Russia and China vetoed a resolution that sought to extend the mechanism, and UNSC adopted a compromise resolution that paved a way for aid deliveries for another six months but limited the number of checkpoints to two.