Biden, Johnson Receive Letter With Request To Lift Sanctions Against Syria - Nebenzia

UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th February, 2021) US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson received a letter with over 90 signatories urging them to lift sanctions imposed against Syria as such measures exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the country, Russian Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia to the United Nations told the Security Council on Thursday.

"We've spoken on several occasions about the relevant conclusions of the UN Special Rapporteur on the impact of sanctions on the enjoyment of human rights. On the basis of her conclusions at the end of January this year, President Biden and Prime Minister Johnson received a joint letter with more than 90 signatures with a request to lift sanctions against Syria," Nebeniza said.

According to the diplomat, the signatories included not only representatives of academia, journalists and humanitarian workers, but also former ambassadors to the Arab Republic from the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Tunisia, as well as a current member of the UK House of Lords.

"This letter has a consensus that this collective punishment of civilians, including sanctions, is bringing Syria towards an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe," Nebenzia said.

He added due to the impact of sanctions, Damascus cannot run its stock exchange, vital for the economy to function, buy building materials abroad and procure medicine and relevant equipment necessary in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.