Syria flag (flickr).
Syria has extended permission to use two border crossings to deliver post-earthquake aid for three more months, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations announced on May 13.
“Syria has decided to extend the permission it granted to the UN and its specialized agencies to use the two border crossings of Bab Alsalama and al-Ra’i for an additional period of three months ending on 13 August,” ambassador Bassam Sabbagh said on Twitter.
“This decision is based on Syria’s keenness on enhancing stability and improving the living and humanitarian situation of all Syrians, and comes within its efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to all those in need in all Syria,” he added.
The UN said in a statement that Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad conveyed to its under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, Martin Griffiths, the decision to allow the organization to use the twp crossings for an additional three months.
Syria initially agreed to open the two border crossings for three months starting on February 13, a week after a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in the country and neighboring Turkey and left tens of thousands others displaced.
The country repeatedly opposed opening the crossings over the last two years, as they are both held by militants backed by Turkey.
The decision to extend the cross-border aid delivery permission came just days after President Bashar al-Assad was invited to attend the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19. Humanitarian issues were among the main points discussed in recent Arab meetings on Syria. Damascus is clearly willing to cooperate on these issues.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
