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Damascus accuses EU of being ‘partner in war against Syria’

The EU sanctions were introduced in 2011 as a response to the alleged violent repression in the country…reports Asian Lite News.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry has accused the European Union (EU) of being a “partner in the unjust war against Syria”, as the bloc decided to renew sanctions on the war-torn country.

“Once again, the European Union proves its complete distance from reality, its full partnership in the unjust war on Syria, and its responsibility for the bloodshed of Syrians and destruction of their achievements,” the Ministry said on Saturday.

The EU recently said it will renew its sanctions against the Syrian government for another year, reports Xinhua news agency.

The EU sanctions were introduced in 2011 as a response to the alleged violent repression in the country.

Currently, 283 individuals and 70 organisations are on the sanctions list, which includes a ban on entry to the EU and a freeze on European assets.

The 27-member bloc also has a ban on oil imports from Syria.

Bashar al-Assad meets with Iran’s supreme leaderĀ Ali Khamenei, 25 February 2019 (Wikipedia)

The EU’s decision comes as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has won his fourth seven-year term in office in last week’s presidential election.

The Ministry further said the “renewal of unilateral, inhuman coercive measures against Syria affect the Syrian citizens in their life, health, and livelihood, and constitute a flagrant violation of the most basic human rights and principles of international humanitarian law”.

It further charged that the EU has lost credibility due to its “wrong approaches and its blind subordination to the US policy”.

ALSO READ-Lebanon to cement ties with Syria

READ MORE-Syria warned of surge in Covid-19 cases

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Lebanon to cement ties with Syria

Lebanese President Michel Aoun

Lebanese President Michel Aoun congratulated Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday on winning his fourth seven-year term in last week’s presidential election…reports Asian Lite News

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that his country looked forward to strengthening bilateral ties with Syria in all areas.

His remarks were included in a letter sent to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday to congratulate the latter on winning his fourth seven-year term in last week’s presidential election, Xinhua news agency.

“I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of your re-election as the president of the brotherly Syrian Arab Republic, hoping efforts will continue in the next phase to stabilize your country and restore cohesion among all its areas,” Aoun said.

The Lebanese leader also confirmed deep historical ties between the two countries.

He also wished for the return of the displaced Syrians to their homeland to participate in the development of Syria.

On May 27, Assad was re-elected for a fourth seven-year term with 95.1 per cent of the ballots in the election in government-held areas and dismissed by the opposition as a sham.

Three contenders, including Assad, ran in the May 26 polls, Syria’s second presidential election since the country’s civil war started in 2011.

The election was condemned as fraudulent by Syria’s opposition as well as countries such as the US, the UK, France, Germany and Italy.

ALSO READ: Syria warned of surge in Covid-19 cases

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Arab News COVID-19

Syria warned of surge in Covid-19 cases

A medical worker takes a swab sample from a man for COVID-19 tests in Damascus, capital of Syria,

Since testing across the country is limited, there is a high degree of uncertainty over the exact scale of the disease in Syria…reports Asian Lite News

UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock warned on Wednesday that the coronavirus is spreading fast in Syria.

Since testing across the country is limited, there is a high degree of uncertainty over the exact scale of the disease in Syria. But from the available information, it is pretty clear that the virus spread is rapid but also accelerating, he told the Security Council in a briefing, Xinhua reported.

The number of new cases recorded in March by the Syrian Health Ministry was twice the number recorded in February. Hospitals in the capital city of Damascus, including intensive care units, are now full, said Lowcock.

In northern Syria, new cases have been confirmed in displacement camps, including at al Hol and al Roj. Both camps lack the resources to treat COVID-19 patients, he said.

The United Nations is doing what it can to provide support, including by enhancing surveillance capacity, by providing personal protective equipment and by providing training for medical workers, as well as supporting the roll-out of vaccination campaigns.

Also read:Syrian kidsā€™ repatriation under Denmark review

Last week, the first deliveries of vaccines from the COVAX facility arrived in Syria, and additional deliveries are expected throughout the year, said Lowcock.

The supplies from COVAX, a global tool to procure and deliver vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, should cover around 20 percent of the Syrian population. But that is obviously not nearly enough. It is a vital first step to protect medical workers and those most vulnerable. But more vaccines will be needed as soon as possible, he said.

The vaccine doses that reached northwest Syria were delivered, like all UN humanitarian assistance there, through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing from Turkey. It is not clear how future such deliveries could reach northwest Syria unless the Security Council confirms the re-authorization of UN cross-border access, he said.

Also read:Syria gets Covid vaccines from China

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Syria gets Covid vaccines from China

Syria receives Covid-19 vaccines donated by China(Twitter)

Boxes of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccines were unloaded from the plane transporting them from China at the airport….reports Asian Lite News

Syria on Saturday received a batch of Covid-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to help combat the pandemic.

Syrian Health Minister Hasan al-Ghabash and Deputy Foreign Minister Bashar al-Jaafari, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Syria Feng Biao, attended the reception ceremony at the international airport in the Syrian capital Damascus, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Boxes of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccines were unloaded from the plane transporting them from China at the airport.

Al-Ghabash said that the long cooperation between China and Syria was crowned with the delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine, “which has passed the three testing phases and has been proven to be effective and safe.”

The minister also expressed gratitude and thanks to the Chinese government for their ongoing support to Syria and the distinctive relations, which he hopes to continue for the interests of both countries and peoples.

For his side, Feng said that sending the vaccines to Syria is a tangible step in delivering on the China’s promise to make the Chinese vaccine a global public product.

Also read:UK Parliament declares genocide in Chinaā€™s Xinjiang

“We are confident that it will help Syria to build a defense line against the pandemic and play a positive role in protecting the Syrian people and restoring normal life,” the Chinese ambassador said.

Before this donation, China had already provided batches of medical supplies to Syria and held online meetings attended by medical experts from the two countries to share China’s anti-pandemic experience since the Covid-19 outbreak in Syria last year.

Syrian health officials said the priority of the vaccination in Syria will be for the medical workers and elderly people, as well as those suffering from chronic illnesses.

The Covid-19 cases in Syria are on the rise amid the third wave of the pandemic. Syrian Health Ministry said that the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country hit 21,999 on Saturday, including 15,731 recoveries and 1,526 deaths.

Also read:Syrian kidsā€™ repatriation under Denmark review

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Syrian kids’ repatriation under Denmark review

Copenhagen was to initiate measures that in the short term can improve the children’s conditions, the statement said…reports Asian Lite News.

Over these years, the crisis of Syrian kids has not been resolved and around 90% of Kids need humanitarian assistance according to UNICEF reports. The Danish government and a majority of parties in Parliament have agreed to set up a task force to investigate how to repatriate minors from refugee camps in Syria, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

By May 15, the group would present its findings including whether it would be feasible to evacuate Danish children without their parents, reports dpa news agency.

The agreement was supported by centre-right opposition parties as well as centre-left parties that often support the minority Social Democrats.

The development comes as the government has come under increasing pressure to act on behalf of the children amid worsening conditions in the camps.

Copenhagen was to initiate measures that in the short term can improve the children’s conditions, the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry estimated there were 19 children in the refugee camps aged between one and 14, and six mothers who have said they want to return to Denmark.

The Foreign Ministry statement said that adults who had joined the Islamic State terror group and fought against Denmark’s “democratic values of freedom and equality are undesirable”.

“What we all have in common is that we want to help the children,” Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said.

Also Read-Syria defends China

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Turkey-Russia deal for Syrian ceasefire

Turkey expressed concern to the Russian envoy in Ankara over recent attacks in Idlib….reports Asian Lite News

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said he spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu during which they discussed measures to prevent ceasefire violations in Syria’s Idlib province.

“We have agreed to take measures to maintain the ceasefire,” Akar told reporters on Thursday about the phone conversation.

Noting that the discussion was “constructive”, the Minister said “we aim permanently to hold the ceasefire in the region”, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Monday, Turkey expressed concern to the Russian envoy in Ankara over recent attacks in Idlib.

SYRIA

Akar also informed that more than 200 terrorists had been eliminated in anti-terror operations mostly in northern Syria since March 1.

Ankara and Moscow agreed in 2018 to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.

The two sides agreed on a protocol on March 5, 2020, to initiate a ceasefire and to observe it through a joint patrol mission on the M4 highway, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Idlib is home to around 4 million Syrians and some armed terror groups.

Turkey is concerned about a fresh massive humanitarian influx as a result of the Russian-Syrian military offensive in the region.

Also read:EU to reset ties with Turkey