UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th January, 2020) The UN Security Council on Friday afternoon will proceed with voting on two dueling resolutions on delivery of cross-border assistance into Syria - one prepared by Russia and the other by the so-called Humanitarian Troika comprised of Belgium, Germany and Kuwait.
On December 20, the Security Council failed to reach an agreement and extend the delivery mechanism into the Arab republic, which authorization expires later in the day.
On Thursday, Russia introduced a draft resolution for cross-border aid deliveries via Turkey that would preserve two checkpoints and exclude the Al-Yarubiyah border crossing with Iraq and the Al-Ramtha crossing with Jordan.
According to the text of the draft resolution, the cross-border delivery mechanism would be extended until July 10.
In addition, the draft resolution reaffirms the UN Security Council's readiness to take extra steps to facilitate aid deliveries in Syria under the UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182, which outlines the entire humanitarian system.
The second draft resolution by the Humanitarian Troika proposes to keep three cross-border points - two via Turkey and one via Iraq - and also suggests renewing aid deliveries into Syria for six months.
In late December, the Security Council members disagreed over the number of checkpoints for assistance delivery and the length of the extension period.
Russia advocated for two on the Syria-Turkey border and a mandate for only six months, while Belgium, Kuwait and Germany wanted to keep the one-year extension and preserve three checkpoints.
In the vote last month, the Russian draft failed to obtain the required nine votes in support, while China and Russia vetoed the draft resolution of the Humanitarian Troika.
The cross-border assistance was established in 2014 and has since been renewed every year. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia argued that the UN Security Council's 2014 resolution was outdated and used to politicize relief aid by favoring some groups over others.
