The 15 members of the UN Security Council have agreed to extend the mechanism that expired on Sunday evening. The six-month extension was demanded by Russia, while the West demanded a year.
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White smoke. An agreement was reached on Monday July 11 between the 15 members of the UN Security Council to extend the mechanism for cross-border humanitarian aid in Syria by six months, diplomatic sources announced. This mechanism expired on Sunday evening. The six-month period was demanded by Russia against the West, which demanded a year’s extension.
A Security Council vote is expected on Monday evening to confirm the extension of the system and provide for its renewal in January for another six months subject to the adoption of a new resolution, diplomats said. The text subject to consensus provides for the resumption by the UN of the use of the Bab al-Hawa crossing point, located on the border between Syria and Turkey.
The Irish-Norwegian draft resolution also calls for a special report to the UN Secretary-General on humanitarian needs by December 10 and calls for a regular briefing every two months on the implementation of the cross-border system and of that which provides for the delivery of humanitarian aid from Damascus across the front lines.
“We will adopt our project with a minimal modification”, assured the Russian deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy. Russia had vetoed a Western project on Friday, supported by the rest of the Security Council, providing for an extension of the cross-border mechanism for one year. To be adopted, a text must collect at least nine votes out of fifteen without a negative vote from one of the five permanent members of the Security Council (United States, France, United Kingdom, Russia, China).