Kazakh delegation to UNSC: Astana agrt's must be strictly implemented

ASTANA. KAZINFORM The delegation of Kazakhstan to the UN addressed on the humanitarian situation in Syria at the emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. None of the agreements reached in Astana should remain a dead letter, they must be strictly implemented, the representative of Kazakhstan said. The meeting of the UN Security Council was convened on February 22 at the initiative of the Russian delegation, MFA's press service reports.

The delegation of Kazakhstan urged all parties of the conflict to agree to cease military operations in East Ghouta and assist in strengthening the ceasefire in the zones of de-escalation. It was stated that it is necessary for the involved and interested parties to join forces to end military actions throughout Syria to allow the provision of humanitarian aid and the medical evacuation of the wounded personnel in accordance with international law.

Kazakhstan spoke in favor of the importance of reaching a consensus and the early adoption of a UN Security Council Syria Cessation of Hostilities resolution, which is currently being considered by the members of the Council.

During the video conference from Geneva, a briefing was given by Mark Lowcock, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

The members of the Security Council expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria, including the situation in East Ghouta, Idlib and North Hama provinces, Rukban and Raqqa. At the present day, humanitarian aid, including medical care, is required by more than 13.1 million people in Syria, of which 6.1 million are internally displaced persons, 2.5 million people live in hard-to-reach areas, and hundreds of thousands of people are still in besieged areas.

Kazakhstan supported the "five requests" identified by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator M. Lowcock on January 11, 2018, following his visit to Syria, and called on all parties to facilitate their implementation, as well as other measures envisaged in Security Council resolutions in order to ensure sustainable improvement of the humanitarian aid delivery to Syria in 2018.