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Blinken, Guterres Discuss Expanding Aid to Syria

A camp for earthquake survivors in Jindires, northern Syria (Reuters)
A camp for earthquake survivors in Jindires, northern Syria (Reuters)
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Blinken, Guterres Discuss Expanding Aid to Syria

A camp for earthquake survivors in Jindires, northern Syria (Reuters)
A camp for earthquake survivors in Jindires, northern Syria (Reuters)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Tuesday with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the urgent need to facilitate humanitarian access in Syria so the UN and humanitarian actors can deliver life-saving assistance to those affected by the February 6 earthquakes.

Secretary Blinken underscored the need for the Assad regime to meet its commitment to open the Bab Al-Salam and Al-Rai border crossings for humanitarian purposes, including through a Security Council authorization, if necessary, according to US State Department spokesman Ned Price.

The Secretary noted that an expanded resolution would give the UN and humanitarian actors the flexibility they need to more effectively deliver aid to people in need in Syria.

“Important conversation with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on expanding UN access to earthquake victims in Türkiye and Syria. In addition to providing aid through USAID and State PRM, we offer our full support to UN-led efforts to surge humanitarian aid,” Blinken tweeted.

For her part, the US Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield welcomed the UN diplomacy, hinting at the arrangement between the UN and Assad to use the Bab Al-Salam and Al-Rai crossings.

She said the UN welcomes the news that some UN aid moved through the Bab Al-Salam and Al-Rai crossings, and that they look forward to receiving more from the UN about how this arrangement is playing out on the ground.

“We have made that call when it comes to the regime. We have made that call when it comes to opponents of the regime. Everyone should put aside their agendas and affiliations in service of one pursuit and one pursuit only, and that’s addressing the humanitarian emergency, the humanitarian nightmare that’s unfolding in parts of northwest Syria,” Price said.

He noted that the US “responded immediately in the aftermath of these earthquakes.”

“We deployed the Disaster Assistance Response Teams within hours. We announced last week that we’re providing an additional $85 million above and beyond our initial response. We deployed the urban search and rescue teams with nearly 200 members, 12 dogs, 170,000 pounds of specialized equipment.”

“The international community also has a collective moral obligation to do all it can,” he stressed.

Blinken further added that it is possible to use the military bases in Syria for aid.

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Libyan National Gathering of Political Parties Seeks to End HCS Division

The National Gathering of Libyan Parties in a previous meeting with Takala (the media office of the group)
The National Gathering of Libyan Parties in a previous meeting with Takala (the media office of the group)
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Libyan National Gathering of Political Parties Seeks to End HCS Division

The National Gathering of Libyan Parties in a previous meeting with Takala (the media office of the group)
The National Gathering of Libyan Parties in a previous meeting with Takala (the media office of the group)

The Libyan National Gathering of Political Parties has launched an initiative to resolve the leadership dispute within the High Council of State (HCS) between Khaled Al-Mishri and Mohamed Takala.

The leadership conflict began on August 6, when Al-Mishri was declared the winner over Takala by a single vote. A contested ballot, with Takala’s name written on the reverse side, led to the HCS’s legal committee eventually ruling in favor of Al-Mishri, who then took control of the council’s headquarters in Tripoli and its official Facebook page.

The National Gathering’s initiative aims to unify the HCS and address the ongoing leadership dispute. They have communicated the details to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and all HCS members, receiving positive feedback from various parties. Al-Mishri has responded positively, engaging in a constructive meeting focused on unifying and stabilizing the council.

However, the National Gathering expressed surprise at Takala’s lack of response to the initiative as of Thursday evening, noting his engagement in meetings with individuals claiming to be candidates for the upcoming parliament.

The ongoing leadership struggle between Al-Mishri and Takala has raised concerns about deepening divisions within the HCS, potentially hindering its role in guiding Libya toward stability.

The National Gathering emphasized the urgency of focusing on critical issues affecting the council’s unity and the nation’s stability, urging all parties, including Takala, to engage positively with the proposed initiatives in the national interest.

Al-Mishri has accused Takala of unlawfully claiming the HCS presidency, following a previous court ruling that invalidated the election session. This situation has led to questions about the council’s future and the possibility of further divisions if a resolution is not reached.