(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) NEW YORK, Dec 4 (KUNA) -- Four Islamic countries to the UN called for an Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly to take action in Syria, when the Security Council is unable to because of a lack of unanimity.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates said in a joint statement that the ongoing bloodshed in Syria and horrific humanitarian situation in Aleppo warrants a call for an Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly to make recommendations on matters of international peace and security.
Welcoming the letter from the Permanent Representatives of Canada, Costa Rica, Japan, the Netherlands and Togo in which they request on behalf of 74 Member States, the holding of a formal Plenary meeting of the General Assembly on the situation in Syria, Saudi, Qatar, Turkey and UAE believe that the General Assembly has responsibilities that "should "be exercised with regards to the maintenance of international peace and security. "An emergency special session highlights a particular emergency or crisis that should not be treated as if it were business as usual, but as a particularly alarming or dangerous situation which merits separate treatment by the General Assembly," they added in their statement.
Over the past few weeks the world have witnessed an intense unleashing of military aggression in Aleppo and the surrounding area with truly devastating consequences for civilians.
Reports indicate that hundreds of civilians have been killed, injured or otherwise affected by the relentless attacks on eastern Aleppo. There are no functional hospitals left in eastern Aleppo able to treat those who have escaped death.
In recent reports, the UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien confirmed that nearly one million Syrians are living under siege.
Civilians are being isolated, starved, bombed and denied medical attention and humanitarian assistance.
He has described this as a deliberate tactic of cruelty to compound a people's suffering for political, military and in some cases economic gain, to destroy and defeat a civilian population who cannot fight back.
Furthermore, attacks on civilian infrastructure, most notably hospitals and schools, have become commonplace. Such attacks are violations of international humanitarian law and according to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon may amount to war crimes.
Therefore, taking into account these horrific circumstances, in their statement, the four countries strongly believe that the call for an Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly is justified and required, expressed that they owe it to the people of Syria.
Other UN members led by Canada are drafting a resolution demanding an immediate and complete end to all indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on civilians as well as an immediate cessation of hostilities, as described in Security Council resolution 2268 with a safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Syria by the UN and its implementing partners.
Marshaling 72 other countries, Canada expressed shared and deep concern that the UN Security Council is unable to address the overwhelming humanitarian needs of Syrians and to halt the attacks against civilians in Aleppo and other parts of Syria.(end) mao.tg
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