Russia hopes UN starts preparing to scale down cross-border supplies to Syria
NEW YORK. Dec 19 (Interfax) - Moscow hopes that the United Nations will start preparing for a gradual scaling-down of the cross-border mechanism in Syria, Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Vladimir Safronkov said on Tuesday.
"The situation in the country has radically changed, and the mechanism of cross-border supplies remains a thing of the past. We consider it important to move towards gradually scaling down this rudimentary scheme, which works toward the partition of Syria," Safronkov said during a UN Security Council meeting on Syria on Tuesday.
The UN humanitarian agencies "should now begin switching to the traditional methods of operation in the country in conjunction with its official authorities in accordance with the universal principles of providing humanitarian assistance," Safronkov said.
Moscow hopes that "the UN Secretariat will start making plans to gradually abandon the cross-border [scheme]," the diplomat said.