SWITZERLAND: Red Cross president Jakob Kellenberger on way to Damascus to discuss humanitarian operations and a ceasefire with Syrian ministers, ICRC says

Record ID: 280546

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: Red Cross president Jakob Kellenberger on way to Damascus to discuss humanitarian operations and a ceasefire with Syrian ministers, ICRC says
  • Date: 3rd April 2012
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (APRIL 02, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC) HEADQUARTERS ICRC SPOKESPERSON HICHAM HASSAN TALKING ON THE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ICRC SPOKESPERSON HICHAM HASSAN SAYING: "The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross is arriving this afternoon to Damascus the capital of Syria. He will
  • Embargoed: 18th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland, Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Health,Social Services / Welfare
  • Reuters ID: LVA4EGSCOCN15NL54HCUYE2RE4F4
  • Story Text: The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross was heading to Damascus on Monday (April 2) for talks aimed at expanding aid operations and gaining access to all detainees, the agency said.
    "The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross is arriving this afternoon to Damascus the capital of Syria. He will be meeting with senior Syrian officials such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Health," spokesperson of the ICRC, Hicham Hassan told Reuters TV.
    Jakob Kellenberger, whose two-day visit will include stops in areas affected by the fighting, will push the ICRC's proposal made in February for a daily two-hour ceasefire in order to evacuate wounded and deliver life-saving supplies to civilians.
    Syrian government forces bombarded opposition targets in the city of Homs on Monday despite President Bashar al-Assad's promise to international peace envoy Kofi Annan to cease fire and withdraw his tanks and artillery.
    Kellenberger, making his third trip to Syria since June, is to hold talks with senior Syrian officials, including Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem, Interior Minister Major-General Mohamad al-Shaar and Health Minister Dr. Wael al-Halki.
    "The main issues to be discussed are first of all the expansion of the ICRC and Syrian Red Crescent activities which have actually expanded in the past few weeks. Another important, and that is very important for us and that our President insists on discussing, is our access to persons detained in Syria and obviously we would also like to discuss practical details of the implementation for our initiative for a cessation of fighting on a daily basis," Hassan said.
    After Kellenberger's talks with Assad in September, Syria opened its prisons for the first time to the ICRC whose officials visited detainees in the central prison of Damascus.
    But visits have stalled ever since, with the ICRC insisting that its traditional terms, which include the right to interview prisoners in private and make follow-up visits, be respected.
    More than 18,000 people were detained in Syria as of Feb. 15 in connection with the uprising, U.N. human rights investigators said in a report issued that month that accused top Syrian officials of ordering crimes against humanity including murder.
    The ICRC said that in recent weeks, it had obtained greater access to many areas affected by the fighting and is now able to stay longer in each place to assess needs. A spokesman declined to name areas which Kellenberger will visit outside of Damascus.
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