Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN (Source: VNA)New York (VNA) – Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, headof Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN, has highlighted the importance of theinternational community’s assistance to Syria to speed up the political processand improve the humanitarian situation.
Addressing the UN Security Council’s monthly briefing on thepolitical situation in Syria on December 16, Quy expressed his concern overdifficulties facing Syrian people due to impacts of social instability,economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ambassador called on parties involved to promotedialogue to gain a long-term political solution and put the interests of theSyrian people first.
He also acknowledged progress in negotiations of the SyrianConstitutional Committee in late 2020, adding that this is an opportunity toreach a breakthrough in talks to amend the Constitution as well as in thepolitical process in the country.
At the briefing, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-GeneralGeir Pedersen said that the fourth negotiation round of the ConstitutionalCommittee took place in Geneva from November 30 to December 1, during which theGovernment, oppositions and socio-political associations discussed thefoundation and principles of the nation with the bridging role of the UN.
Major differences remain, but the parties involved showed theirwillingness to negotiate and discuss several substantial contents to seeksimilarities.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs MarkLowcock said that the number of reported COVID-19 cases in Syria continued torise, with the number of infections in schools – which are often overcrowdedand often suffer poor or damaged infrastructure – more than tripling duringNovember.
“The market price of a standard reference food basket ishigher than at any point” since the World Food Programme (WFP) began pricemonitoring in 2013, he said, noting that more than 80 percent of displacedfamilies across Syria said that their income does not cover their needs.
He also added that 34 percent of all children,more than one in three under five in north-west Syria suffer from stunting./.
VNA
