Turkey on Tuesday welcomed the extension of a vital border crossing for humanitarian aid into northwestern Syria following days of negotiations and deadlock.
“We welcome the extension of the U.N. cross-border mechanism for humanitarian assistance to north west Syria, albeit for a six-month period, by the U.N. Security Council,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a written statement.
“The U.N. mechanism plays a vital role in the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance to some 4.1 million people in need in north west Syria,” the ministry underlined.
“Continuation of the operations of the U.N. mechanism in a sustainable framework without interruption is essential for an effective international response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria as well as regional stability. Turkey will continue its efforts to this end in cooperation with the international community,” it said further.
After days of deadlock, the U.N. Security Council has agreed to extend the authorization for cross-border aid deliveries to suffering people in Syria by only six months, as demanded by Russia.
Western countries had called for a one-year extension of the operation, which delivers badly needed humanitarian aid to millions of people in Syria's opposition-held northwest.
But Russia, whose military presence in Syria has been key to the survival of Bashar Assad's regime, won out in a Security Council resolution adopted in New York on Tuesday.
In what was described as a compromise solution to break the impasse, the mandate was granted another six months, with the option of extending it for a further six months. The resolution also calls for a special report on the humanitarian situation in Syria.
The mandate had expired on Sunday, after Russia used its veto power late last week to block Western-backed Security Council resolutions to extend it by one year.
The aid deliveries flow through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing from Turkey to Syria's north-western Idlib region. The arrangement was first established in 2014.
Moscow has wanted to close Bab al-Hawa, the last of what were once four aid crossings into Syria. Those three crossings had been shut off amid Russian opposition.
If the mandate had not been renewed, then U.N. aid would only have been able to pass through the Syrian regime, which Western capitals fear would strengthen Assad's position regarding his political opponents.
Some 4.4 million people live in northwestern Syria, according to U.N. figures. More than half of them are internally displaced and have been living in camps for years. In addition, some 4.1 million people need humanitarian assistance.
Syria is suffering not only from the consequences of the long-running civil war, but also from a severe economic crisis. According to U.N. estimates, more than 90% of the people live below the poverty line.
The United States, France and Britain abstained from the vote – signaling their disapproval of the resolution but allowing it to pass.
"Russia forced everyone's hand: either the system would be ended, or it was extended for six months," an ambassador told Agence France-Presse (AFP), requesting anonymity to discuss the extension agreement reached in principle on Monday between the council's 15 members.
"We could not let people die."
Mark Cutts, U.N. deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, on Tuesday said that "It’s good news we can continue the cross-border aid operation. Millions of lives depend on it."
"Conflict-affected civilians must continue to have safe access to humanitarian assistance for as long as it’s needed, on both sides of the front-line," he added.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed similar concern, saying extending the aid – particularly for the people of Idlib in Syria's opposition-held northwest – "is a matter of life and death for many of them."
"We asked for a renewal of one year. The Security Council approved six months," he said. "But I strongly hope that after six months it will be renewed."
"The Security Council is not living up to its responsibilities. France therefore abstained," the French mission to the U.N. tweeted.
"France will be extremely vigilant, in six months, to ensure that the Council gives the humanitarian community the possibility to respond to the immense needs of the populations," said French ambassador to the U.N. Nicolas de Rivièr,
The aid agency International Rescue Committee (IRC) called the six-month time frame "inexplicable."
"As needs continue to rise, so too does the need for predictable, sustained and effective humanitarian access," said IRC chief David Miliband in a statement.
"Year after year, we respond to the harsh winter months, as displaced families and host communities are forced to survive freezing temperatures, flash floods, and the loss of seasonal incomes.
"The winter of 2023 is likely to be no different, and so renewing this lifeline so that it will expire at the height of next winter risks Syrians’ access to life-saving support, such as shelter and food, just when they will need it most."
But the drafters of the resolution, which Ireland and Norway put forward, cast it as a hard-won agreement that met each side halfway and did more good than harm.
"Ireland and Norway have led extremely challenging negations on extending the mandate for this operation. Thanks to the adoption of this resolution, the vital work of the U.N. and its humanitarian partners can now continue," said Simon Coveney, the Irish minister for foreign affairs, in a statement.
