UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday failed to adopt two rival draft resolutions on the soon-to-expire UN cross-border aid mechanism to the Syrian people, due to council members' divide on the length of its new mandate and the number of operating crossings.
The first draft put to the vote, produced by Belgium, Germany and Kuwait, received 13 votes in favor and two against. It was not adopted due to the two No votes from the council's veto-wielding permanent members Russia and China.
The other draft, prepared by Russia, received five votes in favor, six against and four abstentions. It failed to obtain the required number of votes in favor to get adopted.
The two competing drafts have differences on the length of mandate to be renewed and the number of border crossings that should be operated.
Since 2014 the United Nations and aid groups have crossed into Syria from Turkey, Iraq and Jordan at four crossing points authorized yearly by the Security Council.
The Belgium/Germany/Kuwait text called for a re-authorization of three of the four border crossings for another year, until Jan. 10, 2021; it would not re-authorize the use of the al-Ramtha crossing on the Syria-Jordan border.
The draft further requested the UN secretary-general to conduct within six months an independent review of UN humanitarian cross-border and cross-line operations, including on the need to re-authorize the use of the al-Ramtha crossing.
In contrast, the Russian draft would only re-authorize the use of the Bab al-Salam and Bab al-Hawa crossings on the Syria-Turkey border for six months, until July 10. 2020, while excluding re-authorization for use of the al-Ramtha crossing and the al-Yarubiyah crossing on the Syria-Iraq border.
After Friday's futile votes, the Security Council still has until Jan. 10 to renew the mandate of the cross-border aid mechanism, before it expires then.
Before the votes, German Permanent Representative to the UN Christoph Heusgen, introducing the troika draft, said that of the more than 11 million people in Syria that are in need of humanitarian aid, four million depend on the cross-border mechanism.
He argued that both the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization have said they need the al-Yarubiyah crossing to get the humanitarian aid into Syria.
Countering Heusgen, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said the cross-border assistance into Syria is "only for one not four million people," citing a report by the UN secretary-general.
Calling the troika draft "obsolete," Nebenzia said it fails to reflect the changes since 2014, when the mechanism was established under urgent circumstances when there were no other means for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to certain areas.
He noted that now many of those areas can get humanitarian assistance from within Syria, and that the crossing with Jordan has not been used for a long time.
Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, stressed to the council that China always attaches great importance to the humanitarian situation in Syria. Regarding the establishment of the Syrian cross-border humanitarian relief mechanism, China has always had its reservations.
"We have always advocated that any operation should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country concerned," said Zhang, noting the Syrian government has the primary responsibility to improve the humanitarian situation in the country and "we should prioritize providing humanitarian assistance from inside of Syria."
He reminded the council that the cross-border aid mechanism was adopted under specific circumstances, and it should be evaluated in a timely manner in light of the developments on the ground. "This mechanism must be ultimately be adjusted."
Kelly Craft, U.S. permanent representative to the UN and also president of the Security Council for December, called the consequence of Russia and China's vetoes on the first draft "disastrous." She vetoed Russia's draft as the representative of a permanent council member.
Meeting the press outside of the council chamber, Craft said the council will continue to work "everyday throughout the holidays to January 10" to come to a resolution to help the Syrian people in need.
