The UN Security Council is taking a wait-and-see approach to the "fluid" situation in Syria
As they were "surprised" by the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, the member states of the United Nations Security Council prefer for now to take a wait-and-see attitude regarding the "fluid" situation in Syria, according to ambassadors who took part yesterday Monday in an emergency closed-door meeting of the top body, convened at Russia's request.
"The Council, I think, was more or less united on the need to protect the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, to ensure the protection of civilians, to ensure access to humanitarian aid," Russia's ambassador to the United Nations told the press Nations Vasily Nebenzia.
“But everyone was surprised by the developments — everyone, including the Council members. So now we have to wait" how the situation will develop, he added, adding that the SA is not yet ready to express itself about it.
"Nobody expected the Syrian forces to collapse like a house of cards," said US Deputy UN Ambassador Robert Wood.
“As many have said during the consultations (…) the situation is extremely fluid and likely to change from day to day for the time being. So we have to see how it will develop," he added.
Nevertheless, "almost all spoke of the need to respect Syria's national sovereignty, territorial integrity and (expressed) concern about the humanitarian situation," he continued, noting that the SA would work to prepare its statement , to "speak with one voice".
"We will see if we can reach a unified message in the coming days (...). Many are waiting for the Council to speak," he insisted.
Since the outbreak of war in Syria in 2011, the SA has been largely paralyzed on the file; Russia has often used its veto power to protect the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
Asked about the possibility of removing the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the spearhead of the rebel alliance that brought down President Assad, from the UN sanctions list, the ambassadors of both Russia and the US said the Council did not touch the issue, for now.
