Syria - Q&A - Excerpts from the daily press briefing (28.02.18)

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Q – This morning, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta of blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians who wish to leave. What is your response?

A – All concerned parties must fully implement the provisions of UN Security Council resolution 2401, which calls for the establishment of a permanent truce lasting at least 30 days. This truce is absolutely necessary to allow humanitarian actors to deliver aid and to securely evacuate the sick and injured.

Armed groups in Eastern Ghouta pledged to the UN Security Council that they would abide by resolution 2401 and accept the truce. Bashar al-Assad’s regime, on the other hand, did not make such a commitment. But he must abide by Security Council resolutions.

We are therefore asking backers of the Syrian regime to exert maximum pressure to force it to implement its obligations.

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