Syria Calls US and EU Blockade Economic Terrorism

On Thursday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry rejected the United States and the European Union's unilateral coercive measures, described as collective punishment and economic terrorism.

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Through letters sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, and the President of the Security Council, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that the imposition of sanctions has remained intact despite the Covid-19 pandemic and its negative impact on the population. This shows real hypocrisy in the treatment of the humanitarian situation in Syria, the Foreign Ministry said.

The text also abounds on the catastrophic effects of this blockade on various aspects of Syrians' lives and their daily needs for food, medicine, electricity, heating fuel, and medical care, among other emergencies.

On the other hand, it describes as a farce the organization and holding of the fifth Brussels Donors' Conference by the UN and the EU, on March 29 and 30, without inviting the Syrian government.

The missive recalls that the Syrian Executive is concerned with the people's affairs and needs and is the leading partner of the UN and the international community in humanitarian work inside the country and to care for Syrian refugees in other nations.

It further alerts that although Brussels and other countries try to publicly present themselves as guarantors of assistance to Syria, in reality, they are using this conference as a tool of pressure and blackmail by donors to politicize the delivery of humanitarian aid.