Syria on Humanitarian Aid in Syria - Security Council Media Stakeout

Media Stakeout by Bassam Sabbagh, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations, on the humanitarian aid supplies to Syria.

Speaking to reporters after a closed meeting today (13 Feb) in New York, Syrian Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh said, “during today's meeting, I conveyed to the Council that the Syrian government has repeatedly expressed its commitment to deliver humanitarian aid to Syrian whatever they are on the Syrian soil. And I also affirmed that northwest Syria is an integral part of Syrian lands and that our people there are part of the Syrian people. And Syria will not accept that they be divided based on lines drawn by terrorist armed groups.”

He emphasized that based on above, "Syria, support the entry of humanitarian aid into the region through all possible cross points. Whatever from inside Syria, or across the borders for the period of three months to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to our people in the northwestern Syria, which is part of the disaster areas designated by our government.”

Ambassador Sabbagh also said, “the meeting that took place today in Damascus, between his excellency President Bashar al-Assad, and Mr. Martin Griffith Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations was positive and constructed and member of the Council just heard from him about the outcome of this meeting.”

He continued, “President Al-Assad confirmed the need for urgent aid to enter all region in Syria, including those under occupation and under control of the armed terrorist groups,” adding that “he also stressed the importance of the international efforts and focus on helping to rebuild infrastructure in Syria because this would be an urgent necessity for the stability of Syrian people and the return of Syrian refugees to their cities and regions.”