Syria dismisses temporary US sanctions waiver after quake

“The misleading decision taken by the US administration to temporarily ease some of the cruel and unilateral sanctions on the Syrian nation is out of sham and hypocrisy, and is no different from previous gestures meant to convey an erroneous humanitarian impression. While the sanctions wavier is proclaimed to allow the flow of humanitarian aid, the realities on the ground prove the other way round,” the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on Friday.

It added, “US coercive measures and policies have deprived Syrians of their natural wealth, which is being plundered, and have created obstacles for state institutions to improve living standards, implement development projects and achieve targeted goals, and provide basic services.”

“The US administration cannot deceive Syrians and the world public opinion with the new decision, project an incredible image of itself, and abdicate responsibility for obstruction of rescue efforts to victims of the earthquake who are in dire need of basic commodities,” the statement noted.

The Syrian foreign ministry went on to call on Washington to immediately and unconditionally lift all anti-Syria sanctions, stop its hostile practices, and put an end to its violations of the international law and the UN Charter.

It also urged all world states and international organizations to push for the unconditional removal of illegal and inhumane sanctions imposed on Syrian people.

Meanwhile, the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria says relevant international organizations are not helping Syrians affected by the devastating earthquake.

“We have to draw the international community’s attention to the fact that these institutions are dodging their responsibilities and do not render assistance to the Syrian victims of the earthquake,” Head of the center, Major General Oleg Yegorov, said on Friday.

“Under the UN mandate, humanitarian assistance reaches Syria via a cross-border corridor near the Bab al-Hawa checkpoint in Idlib province into territories that are not controlled by the Syrian government. This is while the bulk of the population in other Syrian regions continues to suffer as a result of Western sanctions,” he added.

“Despite the existing logistical difficulties, the Syrian government continues to distribute humanitarian aid convoys which arrive at the seaports of Latakia and Tartus among locals of quake-devastated areas,” Yegorov stressed.

The disastrous earthquake hit Turkey and neighboring Syria in the wee hours of Monday. The 7.8-magnitude temblor has so far killed more than 24,000 people in the two countries.

As rescue efforts continue in Syria following the massive earthquakes, calls are growing for the US and its allies to remove all their sanctions.