UN Security Council can’t figure out Syria aid fiasco
At the heart of the issue is the fact that a third of Syria is not controlled by Damascus and needs humanitarian aid.
By SETH J. FRANTZMANThe United Nations Security Council, February 28, 2020(photo credit: CARLO ALLEGRI/REUTERS)
Russia put forward a failed proposal for leaving one border open to provide UN humanitarian aid to Syria via Turkey, while forcing the rest to go through Damascus. The UN Security Council voted down the resolution, with the UK, US, France, Belgium and Germany siding against Russia and China. This was in retaliation for a Russian and Chinese veto over a proposal by the Western states to keep more crossings open.At the heart of the issue is the fact that a third of Syria is not controlled by Damascus and needs humanitarian aid. The Russian-backed regime in Damascus wants to control the aid. Russia argues that the Turkish-occupied part of northern Syria and America's role in eastern Syria is basically an illegal land grab on Syria’s territory.The US has so far largely betrayed its own partners in eastern Syria, the partly Kurdish area, allowing the UN to cut off aid to those areas while the US begs to work with Turkey to have two crossings open to Idlib and Turkish-occupied Afrin. Human rights groups believe the current discussion is shameful. Many, from Amnesty International to the Norwegian Refugee Council, have condemned the great powers for closing the crossing to eastern Syria.Russia appears to have Vietnam and South Africa on its side with China against the Western countries. Indonesia, Tunisia and others have abstained. The July 7 and 8 resolutions, vetoed by one side or the other now leave the countries just a few days before July 11 to come to an agreement. Russia seems to hold all the cards and can simply let the issue expire. Moscow says it wants to curtail cross-border assistance to Syria, and have Damascus coordinate the humanitarian aid.For years the UN and other groups have basically allowed themselves to become part of the way Damascus has run the conflict in Syria. For instance, they air-dropped aid to Deir Ezzor when the regime ran it, but they never did that for people in Tanf’s Rukban camp or eastern Syria when it was under siege. Now, the great and regional powers will decide the fate of millions in Syria by arguing at the UN.Countries like the US, which plays a key role in eastern Syria training the Syrian Democratic Forces to fight ISIS, could help deliver more aid, but it appears Washington has little interest in this aspect of stabilization.
