- Title: On visit to Turkey, U.S. envoy expresses 'hope' Russia will back aid to Syria
- Date: 2nd June 2022
- Summary: HATAY, TURKEY (JUNE 2, 2022) (REUTERS) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, BEING INTRODUCED. BY U.S. AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY, JEFF FLAKE (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, SAYING: "It is our hope that the Russians will support this resolution, they did last year. They know the importance of this program, that it is feeding millions of people and keeping millions of people alive in Syria. And the Syrian government knows how important this is. So I hope that they join us in pressing the Russians to vote for this resolution, for the extension of this border crossing." WIDE OF THOMAS-GREENFIELD (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, SAYING: "What will happen if this resolution is not passed? Millions of people in Syria will suffer. Of the, you saw the operation here, the amount of food that is going across the border, the amount of support that is being provided, those people will suffer without this mechanism. We will continue to find ways to provide support to the Syrian people if the unfortunate situation happens where the border is forced to close." WIDE OF THOMAS-GREENFIELD (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, SAYING ""We know that the situation is already dire there. The people are suffering now. We saw that UNICEF is providing therapeutic food to babies. So that means that people are already suffering without this. Imagine without that therapeutic food, babies will die. So we have to extend this border crossing and we have to continue to provide this assistance." WIDE OF THOMAS-GREENFIELD
- Embargoed: 16th June 2022 18:55
- Keywords: Syria Turkey refugees
- Location: HATAY, TURKEY
- City: HATAY, TURKEY
- Country: USA
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA001239702062022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The U.S. envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday (June 2) she plans to meet her Russian counterpart to kick off likely contentious talks over aid deliveries into Syria from Turkey.
In speaking to reporters, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, expressed the "hope" Moscow will comply even in the face of the ongoing crisis with Ukraine. She laid out in stark terms what the fallout could be for Syrians.
Thomas-Greenfield has had few interactions with Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia outside meetings of the 15-member U.N. Security council since Moscow invaded neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24.
She went on to say the U.S. will not let Moscow use the issue as a "bargaining chip" on Ukraine.
"It is our hope that the Russians will support this resolution they did last year," she said. "They know the importance of this program, that it is feeding millions of people and keeping millions of people alive in Syria. And the Syrian government knows how important this is."
The Security Council mandate allowing the cross-border deliveries is due to expire on July 10. But Syrian ally Russia has signaled opposition to renewing the operation, arguing that it violates Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity and that more help should be delivered from within the country.
Already fraught tensions between the United States and Russia have only worsened in recent months. Washington has responded to Russia's war in Ukraine with tough unilateral sanctions on Moscow, sent weapons to Ukraine and internationally isolated Russia at the United Nations.
A Security Council resolution needs nine votes in favor and no veto by Russia, China, the United States, France or Britain to pass. In the past decade, the council has been divided on Syria - Russia has vetoed more than a dozen resolutions related to Syria and was backed by China for many of those votes.
Every month some 800 trucks deliver humanitarian assistance to more than 4 million people in northwest Syria.
"We saw that UNICEF is providing therapeutic food to babies," she said "So that means that people are already suffering without this. Imagine without that therapeutic food, babies will die. So we have to extend this border crossing and we have to continue to provide this assistance."
(Production by: Michelle Nichols and Dan Fastenberg) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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