The U.N. Security Council achieved rare unity to act on Syria’s civil war on Saturday when Russia and China supported adoption of a resolution to boost aid access in Syria that threatens to take “further steps” in the case of non-compliance.
Russia, supported by China, has shielded its ally Syria on the Security Council during the three-year-long war. They had previously vetoed three resolutions that would have condemned Syria’s government and threatened it with possible sanctions.
Lithuanian U.N. Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite, president of the 15-member council for February, described the unanimous approval of the resolution, drafted by Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg, as a “moment of hope” for Syria’s people. – Reuters
