Damascus, SANA – Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem met on Monday the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer and the accompanying delegation, discussing with them the standing cooperation between the Syrian Government and the Committee in meeting the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people.

Minister al-Moallem reviewed the efforts undertaken by the Syrian government to improve citizens’ humanitarian and living conditions across the country and the positive results of the national reconciliation efforts in several areas despite the obstacles and difficulties caused by the crimes of terrorist organizations that receive support from regional and international sides, asserting that the practices of these sides and the unilateral and unjust sanctions against Syria play a major role in aggravating the humanitarian crisis.

Al-Moallem voiced the Syrian government’s appreciation for the efforts exerted by the ICRC along with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in providing the humanitarian needs of citizens, affirming the government’s readiness to boost cooperation with the ICRC as long as the organization remains committed to humanitarian criteria and distant from the political agendas of certain states.

In turn, Maurer thanked the Syrian government for cooperating with the ICRC and the efforts it exerts to deliver humanitarian aid and provide the heeds of the Syrian people, voicing satisfaction over the level of cooperation and trust between the two sides and stressing the need to boost this cooperation and pursue joint humanitarian projects.

Maurer reviewed the efforts carried out by the ICRC in Syria in cooperation with the government and the SARC, expressing appreciation for the SARC’s role.

Earlier, Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad met Maurer and discussed with him boosting cooperation between the Syrian government and the ICRC in delivering aid and spreading awareness about international humanitarian law, with Mikdad affirming that the government will continue supporting the Committee work in Syria, while Maurer lauded the support provided by the government for the ICRC’s work, in addition to praising the rile and activities of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law.

In the same context, Interior Minister Mohammad al- Sha’ar met Maurer and the accompanying delegation, discussing with him the facilitations provided by the Interior Ministry for the ICRC’s work on Syrian territory, expressing appreciation for the efforts exerted by the ICRC in the humanitarian field and emphasizing full cooperation with the international organizations concerned in the this regard and providing facilitations for them.

For his part, Maurer hailed the efforts of the Ministry through accelerating procedures related to ICRC’s work and providing all the facilitations to ensure the success of its mission, underlining the high level of coordination between the two sides. He also expresses the ICRC’s readiness to provide all assistance in managing prisons.

Hazem Sabbagh