Members of the Security Council earlier this week agreed to extend cross-border humanitarian aid delivery to Syria for 6 months only. The decision was in response to Russia’s intent to confront Western countries, which were demanding an extension of one year or at least 9 months, one day after the expiry date of that mechanism.
Under this extension, humanitarian aid will be allowed to enter Syria through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing between Syria and Turkey, which is located in the countryside of Idlib governorate, where aid has been transferred since 2014.
A Syrian researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, based in the US capital, said that “Details of the UN extension decision will be revealed later.” He denied that Western countries had made concessions to Russia that would contribute to economic recovery in the areas under the control of the Syrian regime led by President Bashar al-Assad.
It is likely that this mechanism will be implemented until next January, before a new decision is adopted in early 2023.
The latest extension stipulates that the United Nations will resume the use of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, which is the only corridor through which UN aid reaches civilians without the need to pass through Assad-controlled areas.
The draft resolution presented by Ireland and Norway also calls for a special report to be submitted to the UN Secretary-General on the humanitarian needs in Syria by December 10 at the latest, and also for the submission of a regular report every 60 days on the cross-border mechanism and on delivering humanitarian aid from Damascus across the front lines.
Samir al-Taqi, a researcher at the Washington Institute, pointed out that there is a preliminary agreement between Russia and Western countries on the mechanism for bringing humanitarian aid into Syria.
Below is the full transcript of Majalla’s telephone interview with Washington-based Taqi:
* What are the details of extending the UN resolution on the entry of aid into Syria?
Taqi: A preliminary agreement has been reached between Russia and Western countries regarding bringing aid into Syrian territory, and the details will be revealed later. However, I believe that Western countries have not made the required concessions, especially regarding Moscow’s request to contribute to the recovery in the areas controlled by the regime, which benefits from a basic share in the current aid.
* Why did Western countries oppose the Russian proposals regarding this extension?
Taqi: Western countries have been preparing for this moment for more than three years, and they have been preparing a number of non-UN organizations to transport aid to Syrian areas west and east of the Euphrates River. This time, those countries were able to exert pressure. Amidst the current situation, and in the event that a final agreement is not reached, the issue will be subject to Turkish-Western cooperation with NGOs, and thus Ankara, as a platform, will have a decisive role in managing aid to the areas west and east of the Euphrates, which Moscow and the regime may not want.
* What is the role of the Syrian regime in this issue? And where does it stand on it?
Taqi: The regime is playing a game of blackmail, but it benefits greatly from the aid. When Russia found out the extent of the West's intransigence, it was possible to come up with a compromise decision. The battle has been postponed to a later round due to the current global affairs. In principle, some of the aid goes to the regime's areas, and there is also the topic of the recovery project.
* To what extent does this aid contribute to solving the daily living crises of the residents of Idlib and its countryside?
Taqi: Aid is crucial for the displaced in Idlib, estimated at 2 million, most of whom are women and children. Eventually, however, we have to realize that in principle, humanitarian aid to civilians in war zones is an unshakable right regardless of political considerations, especially when the Syrian regime uses starvation and siege as a military weapon against its own people. This is the basis for the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international organizations. However, former US President Barack Obama, as part of his mandate to Russia in the Syrian issue, introduced the matter to the Security Council, while aid was delivered to civilians even in ISIS-controlled areas.
Of course, civilians fleeing Russian and regime bombs will now face another period of hardship and starvation. Nonetheless, this may be an acceptable price in order to get rid of the Russian strategic blackmail in Syria.
Jiwan Soz is a researcher and journalist who focuses on Syrian and Turkish affairs and minorities in the Middle East. He is also a member of Syndicat National des Journalistes (National Syndicate of Journalists [SNJ]). He tweets at @JiwanSoz1
