Syria – UN Resolution on Access to Aid Approved

Syria – UN Resolution on Access to Aid Approved: The UN Security Council has approved (22.02.2014 – New York) Resolution 2139 (2014) on granting access to aid in Syria. The final text (available here) does not include any reference to the possible involvement of the International Criminal Court, to the role of the Al Quds Brigade and Hezbollah, and there is no explicit reference to the threat of sanctions (previously included, according to the sources, in the original draft presented by Luxembourg, Australia, Jordan – see innercitypress). The final text approved with the support of Russia and China and all 15 members of the UNSC, demands (1) all parties to immediately lift the sieges of populated areas including the city of Homs, Aleppo, Eastern Ghouta, Darayya; (2) all parties to allow humanitarian assistance; (3) the Syrian authorities to take all appropriate steps to facilitate the efforts of the United Nations and all humanitarian actors to access populations in need inside Syrian territories; (4) all parties to respect the principle of medical neutrality. The UNSG will report back to the UNSC every 30 days on the implementation of the Resolution in Syria.