Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus , SANA- Chairman of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer stressed that the work of the committee is humanitarian in the full sense of the word, and it is committed to the principles of neutrality and impartiality as it is not interested in the political issues at all.
Maurer was speaking during a meeting with representatives of local mass media at the headquarters of the committee in Damascus.
The ICRC coordinates with the Syrian Government in the domain of relief works and providing aid through the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs being the coordinator of its communications with different Syrian governmental bodies, Maurer said.
He indicated that there is an open dialogue with the Foreign Ministry in the framework of preserving the national sovereignty.
The strategy of the ICRC is based on estimating the needs according to the priorities and the possibility of reaching the areas which are in need and how much these areas are secure, Maurer elaborated.
“We get an approval by the Syrian Government to reach some areas and we make sure that fire will not be opened on the crews of the humanitarian work in the areas which are controlled by the ‘armed groups’,” he clarified.
He referred to the statistics which show that 40 of those who volunteered in the Syrian Arab Red Crescent were killed last year and three personnel of the Syrian Arab Red Cross were kidnapped.
The ICRC exerts all possible efforts to increase its presence in the field in different Syrian provinces as it is now working in Damascus, Tartous coastal province and Homs central province, and it hopes to have a permanent presence in other areas.
Maurer reviewed the domains and activities of the committee inside Syria which include water, sanitation, health, war surgeries, medical aid, medicines of the chronic diseases and the diseases which result from the acts of violence, helping the displaced and others.
The ICRC’s work and daily activities face some obstacles such as the inability to reach some areas and guaranteeing the safety of its crews, and the major problem which is the displacement and targeting the health system and facilities and the ambulances and medical cadres, he said.
Maurer indicated that the committee works in Syria according to a mandate given to the International Res Crescent Committee and the support provided to it by different countries in which it works, in addition to Geneva conventions.
Ruaa al-Jazaeri/Ghossoun
