UN Humanitarian Chief Travels to Homs, Syria
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Date: 3/7/2012 9:15:19 AM
Sender: VOA
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Valerie Amos (file photo)
The U.N. humanitarian chief is traveling to the battered Syrian city of Homs on the first day of her mission to push for relief workers to be given unhindered access to those in need of aid.
A U.N. spokesman said Valerie Amos arrived in Damascus Wednesday, where she held talks with Syrian foreign ministry officials. She is scheduled to be in the country until Friday, and her visit will be followed a day later by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan, the new special envoy to Syria.
International pressure
The visits come as international pressure mounts on Syria＇s government to end a crackdown on a year-long opposition uprising.
The United States said Tuesday it is proposing a new U.N. Security Council resolution to end the violence, while Turkey＇s leader called for immediate aid access.
"Humanitarian aid corridors to Syria must be opened right away and we must heap pressure on the Syrian administration to deliver humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, especially to Homs," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. "The Arab League decision on Syria must be implemented without wasting any more time.＇"
Erdogan also said the violence had "started to resemble an inhumane savagery in recent days" and that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will be "brought to account" for the crackdown.
Spain closed its embassy in Syria to protest the "brutal repression of the Syrian regime." France, Britain and the United States have already halted their diplomatic operations in Damascus.
Draft resolution
The new U.S. draft "demands" Syria cease all violence and protect its population while condemning the "continued, widespread and systematic" human rights violations committed by the authorities. It also calls on the armed opposition to "refrain from all violence" once those conditions are met.
Russia and China, powerful allies that blocked a similar U.N. resolution against Syria last month, made clear they are still standing by President Assad＇s government.
In Washington, President Barack Obama said unilateral U.S. military action against Assad＇s government would be a mistake.
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