Russia accuses West of politicising starvation in Syria

Russia has dismissed a United Nations Security Council meeting on the siege of Syrian towns as "unnecessary noise" that politicises a humanitarian crisis and risks derailing upcoming peace talks.

Russia's deputy UN ambassador Vladimir Safronkov questioned the motives of Britain, France and the US in calling for the meeting and accused them of "double standards" by focusing on the suffering in Madaya, a rebel-held town besieged by Syria's government, while minimising suffering in towns under siege by rebels.

Mr Safronkov said the insistence on holding the security council debate "gives the impression" that "attempts are being made to undermine the launch of the inter-Syrian dialogue scheduled for January 25th" in Geneva, Switzerland.

“As the date for the launch draws closer there is all this unnecessary noise,” he said.

The three Western council members called for the debate to intensify the pressure on Syria's warring parties to lift sieges that have cut off 400,000 people from aid. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said both the Syrian government and the rebels were committing war crimes by deliberately starving civilians.

Medics supported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Madaya have confirmed five deaths from starvation since the first humanitarian convoy arrived on January 11th.

MSF calls in the strongest terms for an immediate medical evacuation to safe places of treatment for the most critically malnourished and sick, to avoid further loss of life. A total of 35 people have died from starvation in the town.

Trucks from the UN and other humanitarian organisations entered Madaya this week for the first time in months. Two other communities, the villages of Foua and Kfarya in northern Syria, besieged by Syrian rebels were also included in the aid operation.

Britain's deputy UN ambassador Peter Wilson said the security council should call on all parties to lift the sieges but he emphasised that the Syrian government "has the primary responsibility to protect Syrians".

In a reference to Russia, Mr Wilson said: “Let council members with ties to the regime use their influence, and not their air force, to address this horrific situation.”

Divided

The security council has been divided on how to handle the Syrian war, with Russia supporting the government of president Bashar al-Assad and the Western powers opposing him.

Russia is conducting an air campaign in Syria that Moscow says is aimed at the Islamic State group, also known as Isis, and other extremists, but the US and its allies say is also hitting moderate groups fighting Mr Assad's army.

Mr Safronkov said Russia was engaging with “the relevant Syrian authorities, prompting them toward constructive co-operation with the United Nations”.

Addressing the council, Syrian deputy ambassador Mounzer Mounzer denied that his government was using starvation as a war tactic.

He dismissed UN accusations that the Syrian government was impeding humanitarian access to civilians, saying any delays were due to the need to safeguard humanitarian workers and prevent aid deliveries from falling into the wrong hands.

“The Syrian government had deployed all of its efforts and resources to provide assistance to all those who are suffering without discrimination,” he said.

PA