‘MEMBER countries at the UN Security Council are attempting to destabilise Syria and impose their own hostile agendas,’ Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, Bashar al-Jaafari has said.
Speaking at a session for the Security Council through video on Wednesday al-Jaafari added: ‘Erdogan’s regime has expanded the space of its military interferences and horrible crimes in addition to its support for terrorism to exceed other states in the area, and this poses threats to international peace and security.’
He added that the crimes of the Turkish regime will never change the legal situation of Syrian territories it occupies. They will not hurt Syria’s sovereignty or its legal rights.
Al-Jaafari went on to say that the US administration and the European Union continue their economic terrorism against Syria through imposing unilateral coercive measures aiming to tightening the noose around the civilians and depriving them of food, medicine and essential medical supplies, along with preventing the reconstruction process and the return of the displaced.
The Syrian diplomat pointed out the Turkish regime’s renunciation of its commitments and obligations regarding the Astana meetings and Sochi understanding on the Idlib area as it established ‘The Separation Wall’ on parts of Syrian territories.
He added that Syria is looking forward for the participation of the states which believe in international law and the provisions of the convention.
This will be at the international conference to be held on November 11th and 12th about the Syrian displaced, in addition to their support for the Syrian state and its allies to improve the humanitarian and livelihood situation, along with facilitating the return of displaced Syrians in a dignified and safe manner to their homeland, villages and houses.
‘Syria has never lingered to engage in the political process as it openly participated in the Geneva talks, Moscow consultations and Astana meetings, dealing positively with the outcomes of the Syrian National Dialogue conference in Sochi represented by forming a committee of discussing the constitution and it also took part in constructive and serious dialogue with the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Syria, Geir Pedersen,’ al-Jaafari asserted.
‘As Syria hopes that the committee would succeed in the mission assigned to it, it confirms that this success can’t be achieved without ensuring non-interference in its affairs in any way and by any side,’ Al-Jaafari added.
Al-Jaafari referred to the fact that Pedersen visited Syria recently and conducted meetings with Foreign and Expatriate Minister, Walid Al-Moullem and with the chairman of the committee’s national side, Ahmad al-Kazbari.
He added that the Syrian side stresses the importance of the success of the committee’s work which requires respecting the procedures’ rules which have been agreed upon, including not allowing any external intervention or pressures that hinder its work, in addition to the attempts by some states to put unacceptable schedules that don’t serve the committee’s responsible work which is related to Syria’s present and future.
Meanwhile, Commissioner General of the United Nations’ Relief and Works’ Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, inspected on Wednesday the educational, health and relief situation of the Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk and Sbinah camps in Damascus and its countryside.
Lazzarini’s tour included a number of refugee schools in al-Sabina camp as a documentary film about the camp’s situation during the war and after its liberation from terrorism was screened.
He was also briefed about the health services provided at the al-Sabina Medical Clinic and the Social Development Centre to support citizens with disabilities.
In Yarmouk camp, Lazzarini was briefed on the agency’s facilities that were damaged in the terrorist attacks, including the Yarmouk Health Centre, one of the agency’s three health centres in the camp, a number of schools, the medical point and the health services it provides in the camp.
In a statement to the journalists, Lazzarini affirmed that the agency provided many services and material and food assistance and rehabilitated many of its facilities to the residents of Al-Sabina camp.
He pointed out that there is a large percentage of Palestinian refugees who have returned to their homes in the camp, and the agency provides all services to them, and there are other families who wish to return, and this requires more aid, services and support from UNRWA.
- Russia’s Permanent Representative at the UN Vasily Nebenzya stressed that some western countries continue their attempts to protect terrorists in Syria.
The Russia Today (RT) website quoted Nebenzya as saying that the representatives of some western countries insist on using press reports, which are of questionable credibility, to get acquainted with what is going on in Syria and to use those reports’ information in the meeting of the UN Security Council.
His speech came in response to his German counterpart Christoph Heusgen’s speech at the council which relayed on alleged reports by the New York Times newspaper on civilian casualties in Idlib.
Nebnezia said that Russia has repeatedly criticised the New York Times’ articles for publishing false information about the situation in Russia.
Nebnezia expressed wonder about the repeated calls of some of his western colleagues on a ceasefire across Syria, despite that all the Russian and Syrian military operations in it aim at combating terrorism, and questions about whom they are trying to protect through these calls.
- Meanwhile, a joint workshop concentrated on the reality of the comprehensive health coverage in Syria and the importance of ensuring health care services to the citizens with the participation of all sectors and the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Members of the People’s Assembly, Minister of Health, Dr Hassan Mohammad al-Ghabbash, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, and representative of the World Health Organisation in Syria, Dr Akjamal Maktoomova participated in the workshop which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus on Tuesday.
Dr al-Ghabbash reviewed the strategies for moving ahead towards an overall health coverage in Syria, ensuring the funding of health services, securing the workforce, medicines and vaccines, and providing health information.
He pointed out the obstacles facing the health sector in Syria, mainly that more than 50 hospitals were out of service either completely or partially due to terrorism and the destruction affecting about 500 health centres, as well as the unfair economic blockade imposed on Syria which hinders imports of medicine or medical equipment, in addition to the coronavirus pandemic which needed further requirements, including quarantine centres.
For his part, Dr al-Mandahari said that the coronavirus pandemic entailed the need for solidarity of all parties on the national, regional and international levels, indicating that the health system in Syria was developed before the war on the regional level in terms of providing basic services and high quality medical care to citizens, and so far Syrians have access to these services.
Head of the People’s Assembly Services Committee, Faysal Azouz, underlined the importance of the continuing fruitful coordination and cooperation between Syria and the WHO for better and more efficient access to medical aid and services to citizens, calling for adopting any steps that would achieve integrated health care for citizens, and hailing the WHO’s role in Syria.
A number of issues, including the importance of providing overall health coverage for citizens in all areas, increasing the level of support provided by the organisation, particularly in regard with cancer drugs, vaccines and treatments for the coronavirus were also on the table.
