Syria says UN aid delivery without consent amounts to attack: reportJune 20, 2014 - 23:43 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Syria's government warned the UN Security Council that delivering humanitarian aid across its borders into rebel-held areas without its consent would amount to an attack, suggesting it would have the right to retaliate against convoys, Reuters reports. As the veto-wielding members of the council - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia - negotiate a draft resolution to boost aid access, Syria circulated to the 15-member council a letter from dozens of Arab and Syrian lawyers. The June 18 letter, Reuters says it obtained on Friday, June 20, argues against a bid by Western states for the resolution to be Chapter 7, which would make it legally binding and enforceable with military action or other coercive measures such as sanctions. The humanitarian resolution text has been drafted by Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg. "The sole purpose of the initiative is to use United Nations auspices for the delivery of logistical backing to the terrorists," the lawyers wrote in the letter that was sent to the United Nations by Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari. "Importing aid in coordination with terrorist organizations and without consultation with the Syrian state would amount to an attack on the Syrian state and on its territorial integrity and political independence," the lawyers argued. Amid the resolution negotiations, Russia said on Tuesday it has gained Syrian approval to open four border crossings named in the draft text under a "far-reaching formula." U.N. diplomats said this involved using monitors to inspect convoys. But Australia's UN Ambassador Gary Quinlan said on Thursday that the proposal "is not good enough" yet. The lawyers stated that the Syrian government's refusal to allow aid deliveries without its approval "is grounded in and motivated by the Charter of the United Nations, international resolutions and Syrian counterterrorism legislation. "If anyone describes it as arbitrary, we invite them to provide the legal bases for their novel argument, which amounts to saying that the only way to protect civilians from terrorism is not to fight it, but to work with it," they said. The Security Council achieved rare unity in unanimously approving a resolution in February that demanded rapid, safe and unhindered aid access in Syria, where a three-year civil war has killed more than 150,000 people. But that resolution, which was legally binding but not enforceable, has failed to make a difference, UN officials said. The United Nations says some 9.3 million people in Syria need help, of which some 4.7 million people are in hard-to-reach areas. Another 2.8 million people have fled the conflict. Russia, supported by China, has previously vetoed four resolutions threatening any action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow has made clear it was against allowing cross-border access without the consent of Syria's government and opposed a Chapter 7 resolution. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. Armenia-Azerbaijan: Turkey wants deal after “positive developments” Turkey hopes “positive developments” in negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan will lead to an agreement. Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. |