India pledges $2.5 mn assistance to Syria

Minister of State for External Affairs Shri E. Ahamed Thursday announced Government's pledge to donate US$ 2.5 million towards humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria. He was representing India at the ‘High-level International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria'.

This assistance would be in the form of life saving drugs, food and other essential items required by the people of Syria. 

He claimed that India had already processed humanitarian assistance to Syria in the form of life saving drugs and fortified biscuits. 

Expressing support to the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people, Ahamed said, “Syria has, historically and in contemporary times, been an important country in the Middle East. Its role in the Middle East peace process and in the stability of the wider region is pivotal. Thus, prolonged instability or unrest in Syria will have serious ramifications for the region and beyond.”

He added that India had been closely following the developments in Syria. Syria continues to face acute crisis as the impasse has become explosive and could engulf the region.

India strongly expressed its concern on the steep escalation of violence and called upon all sides in Syria particularly the Syrian leadership to abjure violence and resolve all issues peacefully through discussions taking into account the aspirations of the people of Syria. He stressed on India’s position to prevent outside military intervention and that the peace process should be led by Syria itself. In this regard India supported the Geneva Communiqué which included the 6-Point Plan of Kofi Annan, and welcomed the appointment of Lakhdar Brahimi as the new Joint Special Envoy.

Expressing concerns about the hardships and sufferings of the people of Syria as a result of unabated violence in Syria, he said, “Thousands of people are being displaced internally and have also fled to neighbouring countries like Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. India welcomes and fully supports the initiative of UN to address the need of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.”

He reiterated “urgent peaceful negotiations with participation of all parties taking into account the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians” as the only acceptable way to resolve the internal crisis in Syria.