PremiumNEW DELHI: India has underlined its support to a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN-facilitated political process, to bring long term peace to the conflict-ridden region after voting in favour of the UN Security Council (UNSC) Syrian Humanitarian Resolution.
"We are deeply concerned with the involvement of external actors in Syria which is making the situation worse," India’s permanent representative to the UN, TS Tirumurti said in a statement on Friday.
"We also remain convinced that there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict and reaffirm our commitment to advancing a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN facilitated political process in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254," Tirumurti said. Resolution 2254, which called for a ceasefire and political settlement in Syria, was brought in by Russia, Turkey, and Iran.
Syria has been witnessing violence and terror for almost a decade.More than 13 million people across the war-torn nation need humanitarian assistance in one form or another. India has been looking at helping Syria in reconstruction and rebuilding activities but with violence spiralling, projects have been on hold.
In his statement, Tirumurti called for enhanced efforts at providing humanitarian assistance to all Syrians without discrimination. "Syrian women, children and the elderly have been severely impacted in disproportionate ways. Today’s adoption, therefore, will reassure 3.4 million people in the northwest of Syria," he said calling attention to the fact that both the UN Secretary General and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had spoken about the worsening humanitarian operations in Syria.
“There is an urgent need for an active engagement between the international donor community, humanitarian agencies, and financial institutions with Syria, consistent with the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria to address the humanitarian situation and reconstruction needs," he added.
