UNA-UK welcomes yesterday’s Presidential Statement (PRST) from the UN Security Council on the issue of humanitarian access in Syria, which echoes concerns raised by the Association earlier this week.
Expressing alarm at “the unacceptable and escalating level of violence,” the statement calls for practical and rapid action to address the pressing humanitarian needs of the Syrian people.
In strong terms, the text condemns all cases of denial of humanitarian access and calls for the lifting of bureaucratic obstacles to humanitarian relief operations. All parties to the conflict are urged to take every appropriate step to facilitate humanitarian access through the most effective means, including across conflict lines and across borders.
UNA-UK hopes that every effort is made to implement this PRST, and that the Security Council stays fully engaged with the humanitarian response as it develops. The Association reiterates the view that a comprehensive Geneva II conference should be convened as quickly as possible, and that these crucial humanitarian concerns should remain a priority throughout this process.
Image credit: UN Photo/Ryan Brown
